Warning: This article contains spoilers about the Barbie movie!
Summary
- Ken's job in the Barbie movie is "beach," which makes him feel purposeless compared to the empowered Barbies who can be anything they want.
- In real life, Ken has had over 40 different jobs, including country western singer and surgeon, but still lacks a defined identity.
- Ken has evolved from being Barbie's accessory to exploring his own autonomy and value as a person, reflecting the careers for men in the real world.
Even the Barbie movie can't answer the mystery that's been baffling fans for 62 years - what is Ken's job? Greta Gerwig's whimsical tale about a Barbie (Margot Robbie) journeying to the Real World to find meaning in her life leads to a quest of self-discovery for both her and Ken (Ryan Gosling), who doesn't really have much purpose in his life beyond making her smile. The two come to learn that the Real World is a messy, complicated place far removed from the female-empowered utopia of Barbieland, where Barbies are capable of anything and Kens are purely ornamental.
Ruth Handler invented Barbie in 1959, naming her after her own daughter Barbara, and two years later she created Ken to be her counterpart, named after her son Kenneth. Gosling's Ken feels more like an accessory to make Barbie's life more perfect, and while he wants to have more of a relationship, he doesn't think she'll ever respect him as long as she views him as purely decorative. His search for something to give his existence meaning is not unlike Mattel's real Ken doll, who has been figuring out his identity for more than six decades, all while standing in Barbie's shadow.
Ken's Job Is Just "Beach" In The Barbie Movie
In the Barbie movie, Ken's job is just "beach," meaning he just stands in the sand confidently surveying the waves. Whenever he tries to do anything else, like shred some waves with his surfboard to get Barbie's attention, he gets seriously injured. By making Ken's job beach instead of lifeguard or surfer or anything else, he feels like he doesn't have a purpose, especially when he compares himself to the Barbies, who can be anything they want to be and as a result don't rely on the Kens for anything.
Most all the Kens in Barbieland function as accessories for the Barbies, who sit on the Supreme Court, fly the planes, take care of sanitation, and prevent medical emergencies. Because of having a job with no clearly defined importance, Ken suffers an existential crisis, which he thinks the Real World's patriarchy can help him solve. Unfortunately, his rejection of her self-sufficience alienates him from Barbie further, and threatens the connection that he has always wanted to take further.
Ken Dolls Have Had Over 40 Jobs In Real Life
Whereas Barbie has had over two hundred jobs since her inception in 1959, Ken has had over 40, including country western singer, surgeon, hamburger chef, and astronaut. Twelve different versions of Ken have something to do with "beach" making it his most common form of employment, which could explain why he doesn't have a Dreamhouse of his own. In fact, Ken only got a car (a red Mini Cooper) in 2012, otherwise seemingly dependent on Barbie for rides in her pink convertible just like Gosling's Ken in the movie.
From the '60s to the '70s, Ken's hair went from flocked to rooted, and he sometimes held cheerful titles like “Sun Lovin’ Malibu Ken," but they didn't indicate a work ethic. It's not surprising that Ken needed to expand his repertoire of skills if only to save his reputation. In Barbie, Ken tries to get a job in the Real World at a hospital, corporate office, and even a beach but can't because he doesn't have any of the Real World qualifications necessary to hold the positions he wants.
Why Ken's Job Keeps Changing 62 Years After His Introduction
Ken began as a counterpart to Barbie because it was seen (at the time) as strange that a fashionable woman like her didn't have a boyfriend, but his role needed to change to reflect his own autonomy and value as a person. Like Barbie, Ken has to reflect the Real World that little girls and boys see around them, and so had to keep adding jobs to his resume. While he might not be perceived as an aspirational figure to the same degree as Barbie, he still has the capacity to reflect valuable careers for men that give his life meaning.
Gosling's Ken begins the movie living his life for Barbie and attaching his self-worth to her validation, but as it goes on, he participates in his own journey of self-discovery that will continue long after Barbie's twist ending. Mattel's Ken has spent the last 62 years undergoing a great deal of growth, from being Barbie's accessory to inhabiting a space in her world as a professional, whether as a scuba instructor, veterinarian, or rockstar. What's next for Mattel's Ken will depend on how popular Ken is in Barbie, but his message of being "Kenough" will no doubt change the trajectory of the doll once again.
