Barbiemania is finally dying down, since the opening weekend was nearly a month ago and the think-pieces have stopped streaming in. I, however, still think about Barbie all the time – specifically, about how it was hailed by many to be the most feminist movie of the year. Barbie had its merits, but being a feminist manifesto was not one of them.
It’s not even the most feminist film Greta Gerwig has made, but I think that can be chalked up to Gerwig being kneecapped by having to work with a brand to tell a story acceptable to both of them. It had the most basic understanding and expression of feminist ideals, and whether that was necessary to appeal to the lowest denominator or not is a whole separate discussion that I don’t really want to get into.
Related:The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood Review – Everything Is Not What It Seems
What moved me most about Barbie, and what was most crucial to its emotional core, was that to some extent, it was about sisterhood and motherhood. I think about Gerwig’s montage in the middle of the film, where Barbie looks at women all around her while crying, and I feel profoundly connected to these women as well. I remember a day after watching the film, when I saw a little girl in a Taekwondo dobok and a girl in a ballet leotard getting on the bus at the same time, escorted by their respective fathers, and I got so emotional that I welled up with tears. The idea that women can be anything and do anything when they’re supported by other women touches me deeply.
The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood reminded me of that exact feeling. This game is so strongly focused on sisterhood that it took me by surprise, despite the word being in the title. In this game, there are no men except for a gigantic Behemoth demon, who I don’t think really counts as his existence pre-dates the universe and therefore the concept of gender. There are only witches, whether they be four-armed, from other planets, trans, Black, or speaking only in glyphs. you’re able to work with or against each of these women, but they are all incredibly powerful in ways that reflect their personalities. I chose to work with them, protecting our community and trying to foster as much tenderness and communication between us as I could, and I was amazed by the love I got in return.
It made me think of going to girls’ schools my whole life and being touched by female friendship wherever I went – I loved growing up surrounded by women. Our friendships were always openly loving, affectionate, and warm. We could get drunk together and feel safe, knowing we were in good hands and we would always protect each other. We could get together and gossip. We could cuddle in bed and not have to feel ashamed for wanting to feel loved and touched. I could always call or text and know I’d have a listening ear, one that wouldn’t judge me and would threaten to beat up anybody who hurt me.
The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood reminded me that, holy shit, I love women. And not just in a gay way. Though I don’t identify as a woman anymore, sisterhood has always been and will always be an important part of my life. This game exemplifies that. The Cosmic Wheel is full of extraordinary characters who are able to be who they are because they are supported by each other, and they are liberated because they no longer have to live under patriarchal ideals or expectations put on them. They can love each other (in a gay way or not), they can work on their individual magical crafts, and they can live their lives the way they want to. It’s not utopic in any way, and these witches find themselves butting heads all the time, but that makes it even more beautiful because their sisterhood is what makes them want to work towards reconciliation and a fair outcome for everybody.
More than that, The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood is radical in a way Barbie could never have been. Where Barbie is driven by the need to cater to an audience with a low-level understanding of what it means to be a woman as well as a corporation that has to approve its message, The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood has clear, strong leftist values and is unashamed to say it. It is openly queer, intersectional, and has a far more nuanced representation of feminism and womanhood that extends far beyond the most basic explanation of how women are oppressed by patriarchy. I ended up running a political campaign by the end and very easily picked a candidate to support, because Dahlia, one of my character’s friends, was a true progressive. She was for collective action, anti-carceral, and pro-tax. She was fiery, fierce, and idealistic. She wanted a future for witches that was truly a sisterhood and not a fiefdom. Barbie’s line about not being a fascist pales in comparison.
What I love about indie games is that in the right hands, they have an astonishing power to move people in a short period of time. And boy, did The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood move me. Barbie’s understanding of what it means to be a woman is shallow, and I’d go so far as to say it’s kind of tokenistic – different identities don’t have to matter in Barbie, because they’re all Barbie. Sure, there’s a trans Barbie, and black Barbies, but they’re not so different from each other when it comes down to it. But The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood is all about celebrating different types of women and showing that our differences can make us stronger, as long as we want to be part of that sisterhood. Barbie made me feel connected to other women, but The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood made me want to create a better world for them.
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