Pink and Powerful

How Barbie joined the Forbes list of the Most Powerful Women of 2023- and what the ranking reveals about this past year.

With the year coming to an end Forbes has released its annual ranking of most powerful women, with some surprising names.

At first glance, the 20th ranking of Forbes “Most Powerful Women'' does not distinguish itself much from previous years. Ursula Van der Leyen taking the lead, with political colleagues following closely.

They hold power in the most traditional sense, power over a territory, a political party, and power to change and put forward legislation. However, there seems to be a growing trend to focus and include women in the business and entertainment sector as they mobilise and show their influence on fans and businesses alike.

The list highlights powerful women, whether they are in high positions of power or able to influence and mobilise people, especially women. Oftentimes they are seen as role models and figures young people aspire to be. This year, Ursula Van der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, has secured the first-place position in the ranking, closely followed by Kamala Harris, Giorgia Meloni, and finally, Barbara Millicent Roberts.

The latter surprised many with her appearance on the list. One reason for this is that the figure, better known as Barbie, is a rather unconventional choice. It is the first time Forbes acknowledges a fictional character. How did the doll with the affinity to pink get herself on such a ranking?

Certainly, a contributing factor could be the summer release of the movie adaptation, propelling it to become the 14th highest-grossing film of all time. Colleen Kirk, professor of consumer behaviour at the New York Institute of Technology, explains the decision to include the doll in more detail. „It’s not about the toy, right? It’s the whole idea that Barbie can reflect our aspirations. We can put ourselves into this doll, as women of all ages, and that’s powerful.” With this, she refers to the countless versions and rather unconventional, ambitious occupations the doll has had for her time, such as Astronaut Barbie making her debut in 1965.

Despite this, Forbes is very much aware that relying on Barbie to make meaningful decisions on women's rights and social issues would be rather disappointing. Moreover, some fans of the movie have pointed out that crediting the real-life female director and creator of the movie, Greta Gerwig would have been the better choice to highlight powerful women and their accomplishments.

However, it is the idea of mobilising young women and girls, giving them representation and aspirations of what could be done, that decided to include the doll.

Another example of this trend can be found at number five on the list, Taylor Swift. She is not only a role model for her global fandom but also the head and face of a highly successful and lucrative enterprise. Her business has made a significant impact and revolutionised industry standards. The current “Eras” tour alone is said to have generated a groundbreaking $850 million and is projected to have positively impacted the U.S. economy by 4.6 billion dollars.

The singer and businesswoman is not the only woman in the entertainment industry featured on the list. With Beyonce, Oprah and Rihanna joining, we see the impact these women have on the lives of their fans as well as on other businesses and events. Their choices lead to new trends, and shape the opinions and actions of their followers. Some have used this to promote causes they are passionate about, such as urging fans to cast their votes for political elections.

Naturally, their addition does not fill the lack of women in high legislative positions. This year has shown a decreasing trend of women in those positions. Currently, only 13 out of the 193 member states of the United Nations are governed by female leaders. Other heads of state, like New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern, also have stepped down this year.

Even more troubling is the observation of high-ranked, right-wing political figures such as Giorgia Meloni, who some claim to actively promote anti-feminist agendas. Thus, this ranking brings attention to how there can be a worrying disconnect between women in power and empowering women.

References:

Forbes, M. (2023, December 5). The World’s Most Powerful Women 2023: Are Women Key To Solving The Global Leadership Crisis? Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/moiraforbes/2023/12/05/the-worlds-most-powerful-women-2023-are-women-key-to-solving-the-global-leadership-crisis/

McGrath, M. (2023a, December 5). The World’s Most Powerful Women. Forbes.

McGrath, M. (2023b, December 5). Why Barbie made Forbes’ 2023 Power Women list. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/maggiemcgrath/2023/12/05/why-barbie-made-forbes-2023-power-women-list/

Saraiva, A., & Bloomberg. (n.d.). Taylor Swift isn’t just an entertainment giant. Her sold-out tour is supercharging local economies too. Fortune. https://fortune.com/2023/06/07/taylor-swift-eras-tour-chicago-hotel-booking/

Top lifetime Grosses - Box office mojo. (n.d.). Box Office Mojo. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/chart/top_lifetime_gross/?area=XWW