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Could Barbie be asexual? Margot Robbie’s movie sure makes a strong case with one scene

Barbie’s disinterest in Ken as a romantic or sexual partner is a running theme. She’s eternally his “low-commitment, long-distance girlfriend.”

In Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, Margot Robbie’s portrayal of the iconic doll is more than a nostalgic nod to childhood— it’s a full revamp of who Barbie is and what she represents. In a way, the film suggests a radical reimagining— Barbie might just be asexual as her distance from romantic and sexual pursuits is one of the film’s boldest statements. One of the film’s iconic yet hilarious moments occurs when Ken (Ryan Gosling) awkwardly asks to spend the night at Barbie’s Dreamhouse. Her clueless response: “To do what?” is both comical and telling.

As per She Knows, a running theme is Barbie is not inclined towards Ken and his attractive aura. She is, as the film quotes, his "long-term, low-commitment, long-distance, casual girlfriend,” with no solid desire for deeper intimacy. Robbie herself addressed this in an interview. She explained, “She doesn’t have reproductive organs. If she doesn’t have reproductive organs, would she even feel sexual desire? No, I don’t think she could.” She explained, “She can’t smell pheromones because she’s immune, so I guess she doesn’t have that [sexual] urge.” 

Robbie stressed, “She [Barbie] is sexualized. But she should never be sexy. People can project sex onto her. Yes, she can wear a short skirt, but because it’s fun and pink. Not because she wanted you to see her butt.” Gerwig herself touched upon the anatomies of both Ken and Barbie. Referring to the bulge with Ken’s legs and Barbie’s nippleless breasts, Gerwig remarked, “You feel that there’s something there, which is part of the allure…It’s unclear how this all kinda works. But it’s not without intrigue.”

Without the limitations of romance, Barbie embarks on her own existential journey. The film allows her to restore matriarchy in Barbieland and reclaim her identity without needing a man. As Robbie said, “People [may] project sexualized ideas onto her but she should never be exuding them.” While Barbie thrives in her autonomy, Ken is left grappling with his identity or lack thereof. After all, he’s just Ken. The tagline: “She’s everything. He’s just Ken” captures the essence of their dynamic and further cement the claims of Barbie being asexual.

Ken exists in Barbie’s shadow, his happiness contingent on her attention. His role as an accessory, not a partner, mirrors his origin as a supporting character in Barbie’s narrative. Ken’s existential crisis unravels when he discovers patriarchy in the real world. A concept that massaged his male ego momentarily but later revealed its shallowness. Michael Shore, Mattel’s head of global consumer at that time, shared, “Ken was really viewed as more of an accessory in Barbie’s world, to support the narrative of whatever was happening with the girls,” as reported by Vox. In Barbieland, the real-world script is flipped. Barbie doesn’t need Ken, and that’s precisely the point.