I decided to write about something that no one else has yet: gender roles in Disney films, mainly of the animated variety as can be seen in classics, such as Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. This brings us back to one of the readings in our text book. Women didn’t start becoming more assertive and aggressive until the ’80s and ’90s, as far as Disney films go. In movies, such as Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty that were made near the start of Disney’s career, the plot revolved around the female being rescued by her “Prince Charming.”
For example, in Cinderella, Cinderella didn’t stand up to her evil stepmother at all. She simply did what she was ordered to all the time and never really let her voice be heard. The animals with whom she lived, such as the mice and the birds, stood up to Cinderella’s evil stepmother more than Cinderella herself did. It took her dancing with the prince at the ball and the duke’s finding her to have her try on the glass slipper to get her out of the hellhole that she called her home. The same for Sleeping Beauty. The only thing that saved her from her deep sleep was being kissed by her “Prince Charming.” In Disney movies, the running theme has always been that women literally can’t live without men, who are, in most cases, their love interests.
Thankfully though, with the Disney movies that were produced in the late ’80s and early ’90s, such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin, women became more assertive and aggressive and were able to stand on their own 2 feet.
In The Little Mermaid, Ariel defied her father’s will by exploring the human world even though he told her not to. Of course, near the end of the movie, Eric’s actions do decide Ariel’s future, but throughout the bulk of the movie, Ariel really is a very strong-willed girl compared to the earlier animated Disney films. In Beauty and the Beast,the female (Belle) is actually the one who ends up saving the male (the prince turned beast turned prince again). In order for the beast to be turned back into the prince again, he has to love and be loved in return. Belle makes him realize that there is good in this world, and teaches him to love. Therefore, he turns back into the prince. Belle also defied gender stereotypes, by not falling head over heels for the “village hunk”, Gaston and actually reading a book, which wasn’t thought of in those days, because women weren’t supposed to be so educated that they could outsmart a man. In Aladdin, Jasmine really put Aladdin in his place several times. She also stood up for herself against Jafar and her father.
Therefore, I believe society really has progressed, as far as gender stereotyping goes, but there is still a long ways to go.
-Ashley Tune
Awesome!!!
I like how you noticed all that from just disney movies. I also agree that society has progressed and that the role of “girl” has chnged significantly from “helpless damsel in destress” to what it is today. I would also like to include that mulan is also a good example of the changing times.
-al hang
Really good post, Ashley. I think the Beauty and the Beast example is a fantastic one. Nicely done.
PIERRE D. Sykes
I agree with your views and observations. You notice how nobody ever says that men are stronger or women are inferior. Yet you watch a movie, read a magazine, or lissten to music and it tells you without saying it until you believe it subconsciously. Women have been bound by laws, books, photogrphy, fine art and especially music and movies. these mediums reach the world more often and subtly then to tell someone womens should be treaated equally. We hould learn to get around these issues. a perfect world is right around the corner. I hope.