"It doesn’t seem strident to the filmmakers that this enables the same gender stereotyping and lack of inequality in the Real World, only reversed."

I question your implication that being "strident" (a word used for decades to negatively describe feminists) somehow undermines the work. Women who are strident are dismissed as being humorless sourpusses, and therefore unworthy of serious consideration. Meaning that women should only present their ideas in a specific way, a way that is palatable to men.

When Thelma & Louise came out in the 90s, many offended men complained that the male characters were cookie cutter sterotypes with no depth, when in fact that was exactly the point. The narrative was female-driven and the male characters were secondary, often serving the sole purpose of moving the story forward. Somehow, men being reduced to symbols of patriarchy in Barbie isn't nuanced enough for you, but the Kens aren't the point of the movie. We're living in a world that has been run by men for centuries, and it ain't no Barbie land. Reducing the patriarchy's influence on Barbie land to a less colorful, dirtier landscape where women are treated as objects designed for male gratification tracks. No subtlety required.