Examples Of Femininity In Disney Movies
Karie Bundy
Ms. Stacy Abbott
WP#3
April 26, 2013
Women and Femininity in Disney Films by Karie Bundy The Walt Disney Company was founded on October 16, 1923 by Walt and Roy Disney, and has grown to become one of the largest media conglomerates in the world. Disney’s goal is to create and provide families with the best entertainment experience, but in doing so they are misrepresenting certain topics that are inappropriate for children. The way Disney presents women and femininity in their films needs to be changed, because female characters use their extremely erotic figures, and their coy seductiveness as a source of power, and female characters always needing to be saved by a man is a message that is being portrayed that is hazardous to …show more content…
today’s children. However there are female characters that convey the message that women are intelligent and powerful, but overall Disney needs to change how they present the subject of women and femininity in their films. For many years Disney has been loved by millions of parents and children around the world, and have profited on interpreting feminism negatively in their films. In earlier Disney films it’s suggested that women are supposed to act and look a certain way, which was actually societies opinion at that time and not a true reflection of what being a woman was really about. “Since then Disney has made efforts to try and show women as strong females, but the overall image being presented hasn’t really changed that much over the years” (Mickey Mouse Monopoly). But parents are now realizing that these messages are harmful to the development of young girls, because they can take those ideas along with their own life occurrences and twist them to where they can understand the meanings better which is communicated best in the lines “…Children appropriate messages and meanings from the world of adults and filter them through their own understanding and experiences” which one would take to mean that children that are educated properly by being given accurate and true information can understand their gender position in society better (The Production of Meaning through Peer Interaction: Children and Walt Disney’s Cinderella. Lori Baker-Sperry. Para. 3).
To begin Jessica Rabbit from Disney’s film Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a classic example of a female character that has an extremely erotic figure, and uses her body to show off her sex appeal. Jessica is a sensual and attractive woman that shows off her curvy body by wearing a long red strapless dress that barely covers her big bust. When men see Jessica they don’t see how smart she is, or that she has a great attitude but only how beautiful and sexy she is. Men seem to lose all control when around her by staring uncontrollably, and losing all lucidity. Jessica Rabbit sends a highly unrealistic message that gives young girls the perception of how an attractive woman should look like, and also gives a lesson in seduction that they can use in their lives when they get older in order to get a man.
In addition female characters in Disney have also been portrayed to use their coy seductiveness as a source of power, a good example of this type of behavior can be seen in Disney’s 1992 film Aladdin. In the movie Princess Jasmine is a young women that has grown tired of the day to day life of a princess inside the palace, and hungers for adventure. Soon she meets Aladdin who takes the princess on numerous adventures where she gets to show off her impressive physical strength by pole vaulting across roof tops. But Jafar who has intentions of marrying Jasmine and becoming king gets jealous of her new found love for Aladdin, so he kidnaps Jasmine and holds her hostage. When Aladdin comes to rescue Jasmine she spots him attempting to get past Jafar, so Jasmine distracts Jafar by pretending to be in love with him. Jasmine who has an hourglass figure and wears a sultry off the shoulder tube top and pants that allows her figure to be shown, compliments Jafar by blowing him kisses and moves her body in a seductive way to keep Jafar’s attention which works and is conveyed the best in the lines “…I never realized how incredibly handsome you are/…now pussycat, tell me more about myself/…You’re beard is so twisted” (Mickey Mouse Monopoly). Aladdin is able to get past Jafar and save Jasmine, and then they live happily ever after together. After a child watches this film the lesson they would take from this is that it’s ok to use their bodies in order to seduce a man.
Disney’s Snow White is an example of female character that is expected to adapt to her place in society which is conveyed best in the lines “…To have a sweet voice so low it could hardly be heard /…It was good for a girl heroine to be misty, lisping, and inaudible, and even better for her to be dead” (Power to the Princess: Disney and the Creation of the 20th Century Princess Narrative.
Bridget Whelan 23-24), which means that it was better for her to be seen and not heard and even better not there at all. Snow White was born of wealth, but because of her wicked step-mothers longing to rule the kingdom and be the fairest in the land, her wealth was taken from her and she was forced to work as house servant. Snow White doesn’t let her misfortune get the best of her, because she has been taught that she will be rescued by her knight in shining armor and saved from her dreary life as a servant. When Snow white feels that she is in danger she decides to run away, when she has run as far as she can, she comes across a cottage that is home to the seven dwarfs. The dwarfs allow her to stay with them and to thank them for their generosity she is compelled to clean for them, which is conveyed in the lines “…Now you wash the dishes, you tidy up the room. You feed the fireplace, and I’ll use the broom” (Mickey Mouse Monopoly) this statement conveys that snow white’s natural instinct is to be a homemaker and take care of people, and she does this by doing what she has been trained to do which is cooking, cleaning, and taking care of children. Eventually Snow Whites step mother poisons her and she is thrown into a deep sleep, and the only thing that can wake her is a kiss from her true love. Snow White is awakened by the kiss of Prince Charming, and she rides off with him to be married and live happily ever after. This movie sends a message to young girls that however bleak their lives may seem to be their prince will come to the rescue and take them away from their situation,
but it also asserts that a woman’s place in the home is one of servitude to her family.
However, there are female Disney characters that represent a strong and intelligent woman that can take care of themselves without the help of a man, In 1998 Disney came out with Mulan; the female lead in this film is a 16 year old girl named Fu Mulan. She is depicted as being courageous and self-reliant, and naturally beautiful and different from other girls from her time. Unlike other princesses who are elegant and prim, Fa Mulan is clumsy, outspoken, and rather independent, and she doesn’t use her beauty to her advantage. Fa Mulan shows her courage when she stands up to her father by arguing that he is too old to go off to war to fight, and demands that she should go in his place. After her father dismisses her feelings Fa Mulan steals her father’s armor and sword and cuts her hair, and then dresses as a man and joins in her father’s place in the fight against the Mongols. Once she reaches army training she uses her intelligence to be the first one to solve a puzzle, and ultimately becomes one of the best soldiers in the unit. Fa Mulan is sent to war with the other soldiers were she battles the Huns and ultimately defeats them. The message young girls receive from a strong female character such as Fa Mulan that it is ok to fight in life for what you want, and that intelligence and perseverance will get you very far in life.
In Conclusion the way Disney presents women and femininity in their films needs to be changed, because female characters use their extremely erotic figures, coy seductiveness as a source of power, and female characters always needing to be saved by a man is a message that is being portrayed that is hazardous to today’s children.
Works Cited
Baker-Sperry, Lori. “The Production of Meaning through Peer Interaction: Children and Walt Disney’s Cinderella.” Sex Roles 56.11/12 (2007): 717-727. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 April. 2013
Mickey Mouse Monopoly. Dir. Miguel Picker. 2001. ArtMedia, 2013. Web.
Whelan, Bridget. “Power to the Princess: Disney and the Creation of the 20th Century Princess Narrative.” Interdisciplinary Humanities 29.1 (2012): 21-34. Academic Search Complete.Web. 22 April. 2013.
The writing in this essay is my own work. If I have used outside sources, I have acknowledged them through correct documentation.
Karie Bundy
Ms. Stacy Abbott
WP#3
April 26, 2013
Women and Femininity in Disney Films by Karie Bundy The Walt Disney Company was founded on October 16, 1923 by Walt and Roy Disney, and has grown to become one of the largest media conglomerates in the world. Disney’s goal is to create and provide families with the best entertainment experience, but in doing so they are misrepresenting certain topics that are inappropriate for children. The way Disney presents women and femininity in their films needs to be changed, because female characters use their extremely erotic figures, and their coy seductiveness as a source of power, and female characters always needing to be saved by a man is a message that is being portrayed that is hazardous to …show more content…
today’s children. However there are female characters that convey the message that women are intelligent and powerful, but overall Disney needs to change how they present the subject of women and femininity in their films. For many years Disney has been loved by millions of parents and children around the world, and have profited on interpreting feminism negatively in their films. In earlier Disney films it’s suggested that women are supposed to act and look a certain way, which was actually societies opinion at that time and not a true reflection of what being a woman was really about. “Since then Disney has made efforts to try and show women as strong females, but the overall image being presented hasn’t really changed that much over the years” (Mickey Mouse Monopoly). But parents are now realizing that these messages are harmful to the development of young girls, because they can take those ideas along with their own life occurrences and twist them to where they can understand the meanings better which is communicated best in the lines “…Children appropriate messages and meanings from the world of adults and filter them through their own understanding and experiences” which one would take to mean that children that are educated properly by being given accurate and true information can understand their gender position in society better (The Production of Meaning through Peer Interaction: Children and Walt Disney’s Cinderella. Lori Baker-Sperry. Para. 3).
To begin Jessica Rabbit from Disney’s film Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a classic example of a female character that has an extremely erotic figure, and uses her body to show off her sex appeal. Jessica is a sensual and attractive woman that shows off her curvy body by wearing a long red strapless dress that barely covers her big bust. When men see Jessica they don’t see how smart she is, or that she has a great attitude but only how beautiful and sexy she is. Men seem to lose all control when around her by staring uncontrollably, and losing all lucidity. Jessica Rabbit sends a highly unrealistic message that gives young girls the perception of how an attractive woman should look like, and also gives a lesson in seduction that they can use in their lives when they get older in order to get a man.
In addition female characters in Disney have also been portrayed to use their coy seductiveness as a source of power, a good example of this type of behavior can be seen in Disney’s 1992 film Aladdin. In the movie Princess Jasmine is a young women that has grown tired of the day to day life of a princess inside the palace, and hungers for adventure. Soon she meets Aladdin who takes the princess on numerous adventures where she gets to show off her impressive physical strength by pole vaulting across roof tops. But Jafar who has intentions of marrying Jasmine and becoming king gets jealous of her new found love for Aladdin, so he kidnaps Jasmine and holds her hostage. When Aladdin comes to rescue Jasmine she spots him attempting to get past Jafar, so Jasmine distracts Jafar by pretending to be in love with him. Jasmine who has an hourglass figure and wears a sultry off the shoulder tube top and pants that allows her figure to be shown, compliments Jafar by blowing him kisses and moves her body in a seductive way to keep Jafar’s attention which works and is conveyed the best in the lines “…I never realized how incredibly handsome you are/…now pussycat, tell me more about myself/…You’re beard is so twisted” (Mickey Mouse Monopoly). Aladdin is able to get past Jafar and save Jasmine, and then they live happily ever after together. After a child watches this film the lesson they would take from this is that it’s ok to use their bodies in order to seduce a man.
Disney’s Snow White is an example of female character that is expected to adapt to her place in society which is conveyed best in the lines “…To have a sweet voice so low it could hardly be heard /…It was good for a girl heroine to be misty, lisping, and inaudible, and even better for her to be dead” (Power to the Princess: Disney and the Creation of the 20th Century Princess Narrative.
Bridget Whelan 23-24), which means that it was better for her to be seen and not heard and even better not there at all. Snow White was born of wealth, but because of her wicked step-mothers longing to rule the kingdom and be the fairest in the land, her wealth was taken from her and she was forced to work as house servant. Snow White doesn’t let her misfortune get the best of her, because she has been taught that she will be rescued by her knight in shining armor and saved from her dreary life as a servant. When Snow white feels that she is in danger she decides to run away, when she has run as far as she can, she comes across a cottage that is home to the seven dwarfs. The dwarfs allow her to stay with them and to thank them for their generosity she is compelled to clean for them, which is conveyed in the lines “…Now you wash the dishes, you tidy up the room. You feed the fireplace, and I’ll use the broom” (Mickey Mouse Monopoly) this statement conveys that snow white’s natural instinct is to be a homemaker and take care of people, and she does this by doing what she has been trained to do which is cooking, cleaning, and taking care of children. Eventually Snow Whites step mother poisons her and she is thrown into a deep sleep, and the only thing that can wake her is a kiss from her true love. Snow White is awakened by the kiss of Prince Charming, and she rides off with him to be married and live happily ever after. This movie sends a message to young girls that however bleak their lives may seem to be their prince will come to the rescue and take them away from their situation,
but it also asserts that a woman’s place in the home is one of servitude to her family.
However, there are female Disney characters that represent a strong and intelligent woman that can take care of themselves without the help of a man, In 1998 Disney came out with Mulan; the female lead in this film is a 16 year old girl named Fu Mulan. She is depicted as being courageous and self-reliant, and naturally beautiful and different from other girls from her time. Unlike other princesses who are elegant and prim, Fa Mulan is clumsy, outspoken, and rather independent, and she doesn’t use her beauty to her advantage. Fa Mulan shows her courage when she stands up to her father by arguing that he is too old to go off to war to fight, and demands that she should go in his place. After her father dismisses her feelings Fa Mulan steals her father’s armor and sword and cuts her hair, and then dresses as a man and joins in her father’s place in the fight against the Mongols. Once she reaches army training she uses her intelligence to be the first one to solve a puzzle, and ultimately becomes one of the best soldiers in the unit. Fa Mulan is sent to war with the other soldiers were she battles the Huns and ultimately defeats them. The message young girls receive from a strong female character such as Fa Mulan that it is ok to fight in life for what you want, and that intelligence and perseverance will get you very far in life.
In Conclusion the way Disney presents women and femininity in their films needs to be changed, because female characters use their extremely erotic figures, coy seductiveness as a source of power, and female characters always needing to be saved by a man is a message that is being portrayed that is hazardous to today’s children.
Works Cited
Baker-Sperry, Lori. “The Production of Meaning through Peer Interaction: Children and Walt Disney’s Cinderella.” Sex Roles 56.11/12 (2007): 717-727. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 April. 2013
Mickey Mouse Monopoly. Dir. Miguel Picker. 2001. ArtMedia, 2013. Web.
Whelan, Bridget. “Power to the Princess: Disney and the Creation of the 20th Century Princess Narrative.” Interdisciplinary Humanities 29.1 (2012): 21-34. Academic Search Complete.Web. 22 April. 2013.
The writing in this essay is my own work. If I have used outside sources, I have acknowledged them through correct documentation.
Karie Bundy