Sexism and Disney

For decades now, Disney Corporation has been providing us with countless films made to delight and amuse children and adults alike. But not all Disney films seem particularly appropriate for their target audience. Many of these films portray violence, gender inequality, and skewed views of leadership roles that seem altogether inappropriate for impressionable young children. Better and more contemporary heroines need to be added to Disney’s wall of princesses in order to counteract years of sexism. Admittedly, many of Disney’s original works are not being viewed by their intended audience. Author of Patricia Digón Regueiro 's states, “it may be of interest to know that in his early cartoons created by Walt Disney were not directed at children and their stories are looking to make the audience laugh with characters who, on many occasions, behaved > wrong with the caricature of famous people and stories that included elements of social criticism.” All women in Disney princess roles fill one of two roles, and it is very rare that they stray. In the translation of Patricia Digón Regueiro 's article The World of Disney Outdated: proposal of critical analysis in school she states: “The woman is submissive and obedient, is guided by his emotions, is oriented to love and marriage, is caring for the family and the home and often it is presented or the role of women “evil”or “the innocent girl”. Giroux (2001: 106-111) gives as examples, films like “The Lion King” where the lionesses have a role dependent, submissive and subordinate to the control of the lions being unable to rebel when Scar takes power; Aladdin where Jasmine 's role is reduced to being the object of desire of Aladdin and her life is defined by men or “The Little Mermaid”, but in this film seems to show women in a more rebellious a nd independent, this rebellion is ultimately reduced to achieve the love of a man being able to give voice to get it because, as he says in the song the evil squid,

Cited: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. By Walt Disney, David Hand, Perce Pearce, Larry Morey, William Cottrell, Wilfred Jackson, Ben Sharpsteen, Hamilton S. Luske, Vladimir Tytla, Fred Moore, Norm Ferguson, Ted Sears, Otto Englander, Earl Hurd, Dorothy Ann Blank, Richard Creedon, Dick Rickard, Maris Merrill De, Webb Smith, Albert Hurter, Joe Grant, Frank Churchill, Leigh Harline, Paul J. Smith, Eric Larson, James Algar, Al Eugster, Grim Natwick, and Jimmie Culhane. Distributed by Buena Vista Film Distribution Co., 1937. DVD. Beauty and the Beast. Dir. Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise. By Linda Woolverton, Paige O 'Hara, and Robby Benson. Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc., 1991. DVD The Little Mermaid. Dir. Ron Clements and John Musker. Perf. Jodi Benson. Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc, 1989. DVD. Lee, Lena. "Marry the prince or stay with family--that is the question: a perspective of young Korean immigrant girls on Disney marriages in the United States." Australasian Journal of Early Childhood 34.2 (2009): 39+. Academic OneFile. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. Witt, Susan D. "The Influence of Television on Children 's Gender Role Socialization." Childhood Education 76.5 (2000): 322. Academic OneFile. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. Digby, Tom. "Male trouble: are men victims of sexism?" Social Theory and Practice 29.2 (2003): 247+. Academic OneFile. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. Digón Regueiro, Patricia. "The world of Disney outdated: proposal of critical analysis in school." Report 26 (2006): 163 +. Academic OneFile .Web. 5 Dec. 2012. ----------------------- [pic][pic]