Shakira says ‘Barbie’ is emasculating to certain extent, her sons hated it

Popstar Shakira says she and her sons aren't fans of Greta Gerwig's Barbie as they found the 2023 summer blockbuster “emasculating”.

The singer, who shares sons Milan (11) and Sasha (9), with former husband footballer Gerard Pique, shared her criticism about the film.

Regarded as a cultural phenomenon that explored themes of patriarchy and gender dynamics, Barbie grossed USD 1.4 billion worldwide at the box office.

“My sons absolutely hated it (Barbie). They felt that it was emasculating. And I agree, to a certain extent,” Shakira, 47, told Allure magazine.

As a mother of two sons, the multiple Grammy winner said she wants her children to also feel empowered while “respecting women”.

"I like pop culture when it attempts to empower women without robbing men of their possibility to be men, to also protect and provide.

"I believe in giving women all the tools and the trust that we can do it all without losing our essence, without losing our femininity. I think that men have a purpose in society and women have another purpose as well. We complement each other, and that complement should not be lost,” she added.

When the interviewer asked, just because a woman can do it all doesn't mean she should, Shakira said: “Why not share the load with people who deserve to carry it, who have a duty to carry it as well?”

Barbie, written by Gerwig and her husband Noah Baumbach, made history as the first movie to gross over USD 1 billion directed solely by a woman. The film also received eight Oscar nominations, winning Best Original Song.