Daily Times

• “Barbie” has received appreciation for its portrayal of minority groups, such as persons with impairments.
• However, the background actors who look to be disabled do not have speaking roles in the film.
• Disability depiction in “Barbie” contributes to a worrying trend in movies that was discovered in a 2019 study.

“Barbie” by Greta Gerwig has already become one of the most successful films of 2023, smashing summer box-office records.

It has also dominated pop-culture discourse since its publication in July. Some have dubbed it a feminist masterpiece, while others, including many conservatives, have dismissed it as too woke and anti-man.

Minority representation in the cast appears to be a less divisive issue.

For the most part, the filmmaker and her team appear to have done it right: Barbies of all shapes, sizes, and colors play significant parts in Barbie Land, and they’re portrayed by a diverse cast that includes actors from several marginalized populations.

Except for the disabled community.