Last summer, Barbie fever well and truly gripped the globe. Whether it was the nostalgic Barbiecore fashion, Ryan Gosling's sublime improvised lines or the clever storytelling, it was a huge hit and broke a number of records, going on to become the highest-grossing film by a female director.
But one of the most relatable scenes for many viewers was America Ferrera's passionate speech about the challenges of womanhood. Her character Gloria states 'it is literally impossible to be a woman', going to explain the expectations faced by women across the world, and it resonated with many.
At the Critics Choice Awards last night, America was awarded the SeeHer Award - an achievement honouring those who advocate for gender equality and portray characters who push boundaries - for her role in the Barbie movie. Her co-star Margot Robbie introduced her, saying: "She is an artist and an activist. She tells us the truth and asks us to reach for something more in the world and in our in ourselves. She deserves to be celebrated."
During her acceptance speech, America Ferrera discussed the importance of representation and shared her own experience of growing up wanting 'desperately... to be a part of a storytelling legacy that I could not see myself reflected in'.
She said: "Of course, I could feel myself in characters who were strong and complex. But these characters rarely, if ever, looked like me. I yearned to see people like myself on screen as full humans. When I started working over 20 years ago, it seemed impossible that anyone could make a career portraying fully dimensional Latina characters but because of writers, directors, producers and executives who are daring enough to rewrite outdated stories and to challenge deeply entrenched biases, I, and some of my beloved Latina colleagues, have been supremely blessed to bring to life some fierce and fantastic women."
She continued: "Because of that, we have had the chance to bring through some deeply layered Latina characters and characters that I could not have seen growing up. But now I can see her, and I see her expanding in the next generation of talent like my beloved Ariana Greenblatt, who plays my daughter in Barbie, and in Jenna Ortega and in Selena Gomez and in so many more out there."
America concluded by saying: "Black, brown, Indigenous, Asian, trans, disabled, any body type, any gender. We are all worthy of having our lives richly and authentically reflected."
Hear, hear.
