Day 2: Disney


Similar to most adults my age, I grew up watching and collecting Disney movies on VHS. I spent most rainy Saturdays cuddling up on the couch watching Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, or Snow White.  Although I frequently watched these movies with my entire family, I was not raised to celebrate or obsess over Disney or the Disney princesses. As a child, I was never referred to as a princess. I did not own princess dress up clothes. Even as a young child, I was taught that princesses stories were not based in reality.  My parents did take me to visit Disney in first grade because they did believe it was a part of childhood.



However by third grade, I was taught that princesses were for younger children and that I should focus more on realistic stories, sports, and school. My parents were very clear in teaching me the message that life is not always a happy ending and that girls could be strong and independent from men. Although my parents purposefully taught me these messages that go against what Ariel Dorfman would refer to as the “secret education” of Disney, I still grew up believing in fairy tales and happy endings.

Recently, there has been a significant amount of buzz about how Disney is fostering characters that challenge the stereotypical Disney princesses in which a princess is rescued by a prince charming to live happily ever after. In addition, Disney is being praised for creating films with more diverse characters.

A post found online:


At first glance, Elsa looks like the stereotypical Disney princess with her blonde hair and bright blue garb. However, many fans and previous Disney doubters rallied behind the idea that Frozen was a feminist movie.

Frozen is considered a feminist movie because:
  • ·      Elsa is empowered to use her powers for good.
  • ·      Anna learns to not believe in love at first sight.
  • ·      Anna is empowered to take an adventure to find her sister.
  • ·      The movie teaches that true love exists between siblings.
  • ·      There is no wedding as a means of a happily ever after.
  • ·      Frozen was also the first Disney movie to be directed by a female director.


Although these are a few reasons why Disney has made strides in representing strong female leads, I do not believe that Disney does not have room to improve. Others also critique Frozen as not being feminist at all.  You can read more about that by clicking on the links below.

Frozen: A Lukewarm Attempt At Feminism
Is 'Frozen' Feminist or Not


            At the end of the day, I believe it is important to remember that the label of a movie is not as important as the analysis and critical thinking that is happening while viewing a movie. As an educator, I find it crucial to remember that the “secret education” does exist and we need to help students to develop the critical lens to when viewing media to create their own thoughts and opinions.  

Comments

  1. UnknownJune 27, 2017 at 6:19 PM

    Good point Tayla! Teaching about the "secret education" is our responsibility. This will help fight those stereotypes in t younger generations.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownJune 27, 2017 at 7:08 PM

    Tayla, I liked that you recognized the strides that Disney has made in their movies while also clarifying that there is still a lot of work to be done so that the future generations do not think life is a fairy tale with a happy ending and that they are restricted to certain personality traits based on their gender.

    ReplyDelete

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