Feminist Representation in Disney Movies

Gender representation in Media

Popular culture has long been identified to be one of the most influential agents of socialization. . Movies, in particular, are powerful storytellers that tend to create and reinforce the gender norms and values about what boys and girls can and should be. They may shape viewers’ perception of the world and their identity. The effect is most significant on impressionable children and teenagers who commonly make use of media to make sense of themselves and the world. As one of the most popular family media outlet, Disney animated feature length movies contribute greatly to the construction of gender nowadays.

Three eras of Disney Princess Movies

The way Disney princess movies reflect gender roles and norms can be classified into three different eras.While the themes conveyed by movies in these three periods varies, the stereotypical representation of femininity persist.

Classic era (1937-1959)

Movies in this era focus on the domesticity of women. Female characters were often relegated to the private sphere of home and assume the role of a housewife. Princesses are characterized by their desire for a husband and a happily ever after life. The image of women is being idealized in this period. Movies that belong to the Class era include Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty.

Renaissance Era (1989-1998)

The yearning for freedom and eagerness to break through status quo are what distinct princesses in the Renaissance era from the that in the classic era. Like Ariel in the Little Mermaid, Belle from Beauty and the Beast and Pocahontas, these princesses demonstrate more independent thinking and hoping for life outside their household.

Modern Era (2009-)

Princesses in this era are also known as heroines. They actively pursue their own happiness rather than building their self-satisfaction upon romantic relationships. Movies that are produced in the Modern Era are the Princess and the Fog, Tangled, and Frozen.

Controversies

Disney princesses communicate strong gendered massages to the viewers. This has drawn wide attention as well as criticism about the stereotypical representation of genders. The two most discussed controversies are about family roles and body image.

Family roles

In Disney princess movies, families are being stratified on the basis of gender. Men and women characters are depicted to hold different economic and social positions within the family. Female characters are often assigned with chores that are historically considered to be women’s work, such as sweep, cook, baby sit and knit; whereas man characters generally perform manly in home labor such an ironing and feeding the dog. The amount of labor taken up by female also significantly outnumber that by male, with a ratio of 6:1. It is most representative in the movies Cinderella and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, in which the two female leads are treated as the maids. The portrayal of family roles may perpetrate the patriarchal structure that gives men more control and power over women in the household. Furthermore, a predominant number of movies frame mothers as the primary caregivers and protectors who are provide children with unlimited love. Fathers, on the other hand, are painted with an image of being controlling and aggressive. This may weaken children’s affection towards their father and hamper father-kid relationship. There is also an increasing trend of omitting the presence of mother in Disney film . Only one movie released between 1989 and 1995 mention the role of mothers. This phenomenon can be seen in movies such as Aladdin, Mulan and Beauty and the Beast. Women’s role the family as a mother is deemed to be marginalized and their contribution may go unrecognized.

Body image

Disney movies have been criticised for setting up unrealistic ideals of beauty and attractiveness that few women in real life can approximate. Most if not all princesses have tiny waist, slim legs and arms and ample bosom. They are fitted in tight long dress with ruffles, lace and puffed peplums which are often viewed as the fairy-tale outfits for girls . Furthermore, most princesses are illustrated as young attractive women who have large cartoon-like eyes, small nose and chin, and pleasant skin complexion . The promotion of hypersexualized physical appearance of Disney Princesses has found to result in lower esteem in girls aged 5-year-old and above with their own body image . Exposing young girls to the unachievable body shape and physical appearance is undesirable as they may perceive outward beauty as the sole component of female identity. The unhealth image of princesses may lead to a high risk of eating disorder among girls when they grow up. Moreover, a stark distinction is frequently shown between male and female characters in terms of clothing, body shape and facial features. Female bodies are drawn to symbolize beauty while male bodies are to exhibit power and strength. This may further consolidate femininity and masculinity divide .

Intersectionality

Racialized feminism

A movie poster of Mulan

In the increasingly globalised age, Disney has begun to incorporate more female characters from other cultures into its princess movies. However, the appropriation of non-Western stories are sometimes considered to be decontextualized . Mulan is a case in point. Produced in 1998, Mulan was an window for Western audience to learn more about Chinese culture. Gender hierarchy is apparent in this movie which sets in China as girls like Mulan are not given the right to protect the country and fight in wars. Getting married is represented as the only worthwhile goal in a girl’s life. As a professor in media discourse and representation, Jing Yin, suggests, “Disney’s Mulan subjugates gender oppression through portraying it as a culturally specific problem, that is, a Chinese problem.” Western audients may see gender inequality as an distancing issue that only occur on the other side of the world, and overlook the immediate challenge at their door steps. This is in accordance to Edward Said’s theory of Orientalism. Mulan is depicted as an exotic future and are fit into the framework of otherness in order to alienate “we”, the western audiences from the West, and “other” the characters from the East.

Also worthy to note is the that non-western Disney princesses’ willing to endorse Western ideals and way of life is highly celebrated in Disney movies. Mulan, for example, epitomize individualism, independence, and feminism throughout the movie. She is therefore being differentiated from the rest of the characters. Feminism is seen as tightly intertwined with racial hierarchy in Disney Princess movies.

Another example is Tiana in the Princess and the Frog. Tiana is the first and by far the only black princess in Disney’s history. However, she spends most of the time in the movie as a frog rather than human. This has created backlashed from the African Americans community . Tiana’s background as a daughter from a modest family is also perceived as a derogatory representation of African Americans as having lower social status.

Native feminism

Pocahontas and John Smith

Native feminism is the study of the relationship between settler colonialism and heteropatriarchy . It is a departure from conventional feminism that is usually center on western culture. It offers a deeper insight into the issues faced by indigenous women which are usually vastly different from that face by white women. Its notion that settler colonialism is also a gendered process is exemplified in the movie Pocahontas produced in 1995. Pocahontas is America’s “Indian Princess” . In the movie, she falls in love with a white colonizer call John Smith and gets entangled in colonial power dynamics. There are criticisms surrounding issues such as Indian culture is being assimilated in to the dominant western culture in Pocahontas. Pocahontas is portrayed as a heroin who strives to protect her community welfare even though it is at the expense of her love life. Similar to Mulan, her ability to be civilized by John Smith is what stands her out from other native women. Most importantly is the sexualized representation of native women in Pocahontas. When John Smith first encounters Pocahontas, he was immediately captivated by the her beauty and gives up his initial attempt to kill her. Pocahontas is portrayed as the western standard for indigenous women in which beauty is focal point. She is argued by Leigh Edwards as the “racialized native sexual object for the colonizing male subject”.