ALBAWABA - Since the release of the new Barbie movie in the United States and Western countries and the fuss it has generated online, some middle eastern countries had a different opinion.
After Saudi Arabia's back-and-forth opinion, on whether to ban or to allow the screening of the video, it eventually decided to keep the Barbie movie but banned kids under the age of 15 to attend the cinema.
On the other hand, Lebanon and Kuwait decided to ban the Barbie movie, which gained over $1 billion worldwide within weeks of its release, Kuwaiti minister said that it violates “public ethics and social traditions."
(Instagram/ The Barbie Movie)
Meanwhile, last Wednesday, Lebanese Culture Minister Mohammad Mortada asked the interior ministry to "take all necessary measures to ban" Barbie movie.
But, what's the 'ideal' Barbie model in the Middle East?
Digital artist Mohamad Kaaki has drawn two very controversial artworks claiming that they are the Barbie models that people in the Middle East would accept.
The First Barbie model shows the very famous doll with scars and traces of bruising after being subjected to domestic violence. A sticker on the photo reads: "Brutal of the Middle East."
The Second Barbie model by the artist shows a teen Barbie standing next to an older man while she is wearing a wedding dress in a hint to rising and continuous child marriages in the Middle East.
In these two art pieces, the artist wanted to highlight that officials in the Middle East are fine with child marriages and domestic violence, but they are triggered by a Barbie Movie.
