Patricia Ireland, president of the National Organization of Women, announced Tuesday that the new-and-improved Barbie is running for president — but might not be able to hold her own.

“It says on the box that with those proportions, she can’t even stand on her own,” Ireland said, drawing laughs from the audience of 175 students and community members in Coon Forum. “She tends to fall forward.”

Chuckles aside, Ireland’s quips about Barbie paved the way for a discussion of how the women’s movement could effect change in government and public policy.

“So is feminism dead?,” said Ireland, in the speech sponsored by College Democrats. “I don’t think so. Not only is it not dead, it’s growing. It’s world-wide.”

Although feminism is “the new ‘F’ word on college campuses,” a lot of work remains.

In particular, Ireland pointed to a continuing disparity between the number of men and women in positions of power.

“There’s a disproportionate representation at the policy-making level,” Ireland said.

If it were up to her, Ireland would make the U.S. Senate 50 percent male and 50 percent female.

“In so many ways, inequality is structural,” she said. “It’s a systemic problem. Power equals rich, white, able-bodied and apparently straight male. The farther away you get from that, the less power you have.”

Ireland said several times that the government needs more diversity because people who oppose women’s equality are uncomfortable with change.

Ireland called for students to make change — and promote feminism — by taking active stances for what they believe is right.

“There’s always a way to plug in,” she said. “You have your voices, the ability to speak up, to tell the truth.”

But activism doesn’t come without costs. Ireland emphasized that activists must take risks and make people, including themselves, uncomfortable.

She also prodded students to start running for office, even for something as inconsequential as the “mosquito control board.”

Ireland encouraged students to attend the upcoming World March for Women — which will involve women from 150 countries — scheduled for Oct. 15 in Washington, D.C., as well as an event called “Love Your Body,” created to help women take pride in their physical features. NU’s celebration of “Love Your Body” is taking place this week.

“Then maybe we can celebrate bifocal Barbie,” she said.