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200284 https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.2.N.200284 http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 2025-05 62 pages Boiarsky, Hailey Woodall, Gina Lennon, Tara Barrett, The Honors College School of Criminology and Criminal Justice School of Social Transformation Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies, Sch School of Politics and Global Studies The 2023 box-office hit, “Barbie,” has been labeled by the media as a “feminist” film. However, the media seems to disagree about the definition of feminism. While some sources cite feminism as the ruination of men or the furthering of the “woke” agenda, others see it as a crucial movement for equality. The definition has been picked apart and famously analyzed by the media and political parties. In a world so focused on the media, I hypothesized that pop culture labeled as “feminist” can change one’s perception of feminism. To test this theory, I analyzed the four waves of feminism to see how the definition has both originated and changed over time. In addition, I conducted three focus groups with a total of 17 undergraduate students. Results revealed that pop culture does have the power to impact the way we view definitions that have become politically charged. While only one participant admitted their viewpoint on feminism changed entirely after watching “Barbie,” 16 commented that the movie either made them reflect on the deeper meaning of feminism or that they learned something new about the definition that will now contribute to their perception of the term. Feminism Barbie Feminist Political Science Pop culture Feminist Barbie: How Feminist Media Has the Power to Change One's Opinions on the Definition of Feminism