Reactions to the news that Margot Robbie was not nominated for an Oscar for her performance in Barbie ranged from outrage to fervent celebration to indifference. The response I heard the most was in the latter category and often was accompanied by comments like “who cares” and “she’ll be fine.” Of course, there are far more grave conflicts going on in the world, especially affecting women, but I don’t think that should minimize the backlash that the Oscars are receiving for their nomination choices. On that note, the Barbie snubs date farther back than the Oscars. This pattern of disrespect and snubbing began at the Golden Globes in January.

At the 2024 Golden Globes, hosted by the now-notorious Jo Koy, Barbie was nominated for six awards, and rightfully so. As the highest grossing film of the year, inspiring a “Barbenheimer” craze, a renaissance of hot pink fashion, and renewed love of Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, I think it’s safe to say that the film commanded a bit of respect. That didn’t stop Koy, however, from including it in his collection of problematic jokes. As he put it, compared to Oppenheimer, which was “based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning book,” Barbie “is [based] on a plastic doll with big boobies.” This sparked rampant controversy from people accusing Koy of missing the point of the movie. While, to me, his comment seems absurd, to so many others, Koy simply voiced how they’ve felt about the film on a larger platform. Based on the public’s reaction to this joke, however, the irony of a feminist movie being nominated for an elite award only to be belittled at the very ceremony meant to honor it is not lost on most.

The next disappointment in the wave of award show controversies associated with the film occurred at the Critics Choice Awards when the comedic ballad “I’m Just Ken,” performed by Ryan Gosling, won Best Song over Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” Fans were outraged that Eilish’s song, which is played during the movie’s climax and is a profound commentary on a woman’s role in society, lost to Gosling’s song, taking this as proof that women’s hard work will still be overlooked for male mediocrity. Even Gosling seemed perplexed and embarrassed as he accepted the award, which people took as further evidence that he knew he didn’t deserve to win.

By the time that the Oscars nominations were announced, their multiple snubs of the women of Barbie seemed like the final straw. Not only was Margot Robbie not nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role, Greta Gerwig was not up for Directing. Considering that Barbie was the highest grossing film directed by a woman in history, it seems a little unreasonable that Gerwig wasn’t recognized at all for this feat by the Oscars.

On top of all of that, Ryan Gosling was still nominated for best Actor in a Supporting Role, suggesting that the Oscars only held a grudge against the women involved with Barbie. Further emphasizing the snub, Oppenheimer was nominated for and won almost every major award of the night. This includes Cilian Murphy for Actor in a Leading Role and Christopher Nolan for Directing. Oppenheimer has been paired with Barbie so much that they have come to be considered counterparts of some sort, so logically, if the Oscars celebrated one, they should have lauded the other as well.

The difference between the two films goes deeper than one being about a historical event and the other about female genitalia (whether Jo Koy accepts it or not). One was led and directed by men, while the other lifted up women, was directed by women, and starred women. In 2024, it is outrageous that they received such different critical acclaim despite the fact that Barbie was significantly more successful in both pop culture and the box office.

If you still think that this is a first-world issue that doesn’t need to be discussed, I urge you to reframe your thinking. Injustice in pop culture influences how the general public thinks and feels about broader issues like misogyny, and by excusing misogyny that is visible on the highest platform, we normalize the prejudices that are occuring within households and on much smaller scales. Of course, Margot Robbie will be alright, but that doesn’t mean we have to brush past the injustices she faces. If A-List women are still being told to stay silent and accept sexism in their workplace, then there doesn’t seem to be a chance for those who don’t have the power of the media and millions of dollars behind them. This issue is important, not despite the marginalized women who need a voice and justice, but because of them and for them. After all, what was Barbie made for?