Discursive Constructions of the Feminine in Cartoons About the Movie Barbie (2023)

Abstract

This article investigates the representation of the feminine in two cartoons related to the film Barbie (2023), created by the artists Sponholz and Quinho. Under the theoretical framework of French Discourse Analysis, the objective is to analyze how the cartoons, using humor and gender stereotypes, address the role of women in media considered to target female audiences, tackling social and political issues. From the reading of the two cartoons, discourse sequences were selected to understand how the role of women is portrayed and how their search for a cultural consumption object is represented. The results show that both cartoons, although different in formats and narratives, project women as passive consumers and associate them with trivial, superficial interests, as if the desire to watch a movie contrasts with serious social problems presented by men. Through discourse analysis, the article discusses how the perpetuation of gender stereotypes and the strengthening of a patriarchal discursive formation diminishes the female role and reinforces traditional roles. The analyzed cartoons criticize the consumption of entertainment that has been considered directed at women, reflecting a limited and stigmatized view of the feminine.