Work Text:
Barbara took a deep breath. This panel she was sitting on at L.A. ComicCon was going to be her first public appearance since she had come out as a lesbian. The responses she had received had been mostly positive, but the negative responses left her feeling like she might have made a mistake in choosing to make that post. Either way, it was nearly time to face the music and she couldn't quite shake the jitters.
To Ken: How do you do this all the time after exposing yourself to the public????? This is terrifying. What if I mess up????
From Ken: Hello to yiu too Barbara. You've got this! U r going to be amazing, and you've trained like...5x as much as you needed to with ur publicist for this panel. IM SO PROUD IF YOU!!!!!
To Ken: You really think I can do this?
From Ken: I know you can. Go kick ass, Barbs.
She took a deep, settling breath, anxiously fixing her hair, in the signature Barbie ponytail, as she listened to the final countdown for her entrance on stage for her panel. With one more calming breath she smiled brightly and chipperly walked onto the stage, waving to the screams of excitement of many young girls, some young men, and several in between or neither.
She spoke for a while with the interviewer about the pre-written, surface-level questions about the filming process, what the set culture was like, her friendship with Ken, and most things in between. This part of the interview was always the most bland. Eventually, it was time for her favorite (and frankly, most dreaded part): Audience Q&A.
The first teenager stepped up to the microphone in the auditorium aisle and asked: "Do you really like pink? Or is it just a Barbie branding thing?"
She smiled, a bit more genuine than the initial stage smile she'd had on for the interview. "Well...most of the pink you see me in is just because I play Barbie. But...I do really like darker pink shades, so if you see those around, that's me!"
The questions continued for a while.
"Is your hair real?"
"Do you get tired of social media?"
"What was your favorite episode?"
"Is Ken really bisexual?"
"What are your pronouns?"
"Least favorite outfit from the show?"
"Do you have any plans to do something other than Barbie?"
"What's your favorite part about being Barbie?"
"Did they name you or Barbie first?"
Then, the question Barbara had been anticipating. It came from a young person wearing a lesbian flag as a cape, their voice a bit shaky as they spoke. "I...I'm not sure this is actually a question but, I wanted to thank you. For coming out. You're the first actor I've ever seen that identifies like I do and I think that's amazing. Just...um...thank you."
Barbara did her best not to let her voice shake as she replied. "It is truly my pleasure. I didn't have anyone like me to look up to when I was your age. Now don't get me wrong, I saw plenty of white women on screen, but I never saw any who loved in the way I do. I was really debating whether or not to come out, but Ken reminded me about the privilege and role-model status that I hold, and I knew it was time. I hope to someday act in a role that loves the way I do, too."
The interviewer directed Barbara to answer a few more lighthearted questions before allowing the crowd one more round of applause and escorting her off stage. Barbara smiled the most genuine smile she had in a long time when waving goodbye to the audience.
To Ken: Thank you, Ken.