TheMagic of Disney Movie Stereotypes
Disney movies have historically perpetuated many stereotypes, including racism and gender. These stereotypes have a tremendous impact on the impressionable audience watching the movies. Over the years, Disney has made efforts to reduce the amount portrayed in its films.
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How Has Disney Adjusted Over Time?
Taking a look at which stereotypes have improved, stayed the same, or both....
Stayed the Same
Gender:
Disney movies continue to portray conventional stereotypes of gender. Men are still portrayed as physically aggressive, non expressive, and as heroic saviors to women. Women are still portrayed as beautiful, dependent on men to save them, and occupied with home tasks. This is seen with actual men and women, but also with animals who are known to be either male or female. In Beauty and the Beast the male candlestick romantically pursues the female broom and as she says "no no no" he says "yes yes yes" implying either that when a woman says no she really means yes or that her refusal is not enough to stop. Yet there is a worse depiction in the movie. The Beast imprisons Belle separating her from her father, constantly raging at her, and doesn't feed her unless she eats with him. Despite this, Belle falls in love with him, and that turns him into a prince. The message of this movie is a horrible look for domestic violence. It shows that it is acceptable for men to abuse women, and that if she continues to love him despite being abused then she can turn him into a loving and charming man and they can have a successful relationship.
Racism:
Disney movies also continue to have an overabundance of negative images of racial groups. In Jungle the apes are based on racist notions of African Americans. They sing "I want to be a man. I want to walk like you, talk like you. I want to be like you." The media education foundation said that these lyrics suggest that Blacks and Whites are not equal, and that Blacks want to be like Whites. 40 years after the production of Jungle, Lion King portrayed the Hyenas as inner city minorities. Always thieving and complaining that the lions have all the power. Tarzan, produced in 1999, is a white man in control of African jungles without even showing one black character.
Improved
Gender:
Female characters in recent films are heroic and courageous. Mulan is a girl who refused to fit into the stereotypical female role. She disguises herself as a man and goes to war instead of her father. She is a strong soldier and a trustworthy partner; she is actually responsible for ending the war. Although she is initially disrespected when her true gender is revealed, her country eventually celebrates her. There is a scene where a large crowd bows down to her as gratitude and respect. This is something you would not find in any of the older Disney movies. Pocahontas is also portrayed as a strong and healthy female character. She doesn't let her father command her who to marry. She is competent and stands by her own beliefs. For example, she values living at one with the environment and accepting people from many different cultures. Disney has become much better in displaying gendered stereotypes. In Frozen, a newer movie, Elsa is the powerful queen, and she has all the power without needing to be with a guy. Tarzan is an example of a man expressing his emotions. He describes his love for his adoptive ape mother, and he is shown slowly falling in love with Jane over time instead of loving her instantly for her beauty.
Racism:
Newer Disney movies have positive portrayals of non western cultures. Mulan is the first animated Disney movie to try and accurately depict Asian culture. Pocahontas has positive depictions of Native Americans showing their respectful relationship with nature. In Hunchback, the gypsies are portrayed as dirty thieves, but at the end Esmeralda defends them challenging the racist beliefs about them. A primary message in many newer movies is that despite different appearances, values, and characteristics, people can still create a community together.
Both
Gender:
Mixed messages about gender are often shown in Disney movies. In Beauty and the Beast, Belle loves adventure and reading, she trades places with her father when he is imprisoned, and she doesn't fall in love with Gaston despite his power. Yet, Belle still needs to be rescued at the end of the movie, and she falls in love with the Beast despite being abused by him. In Little Mermaid, Ariel is seen as strong when she disobeys her father by walking on dry land to meet the prince who she believes she has fallen in love with. To win her relationship, she needs to sacrifice her voice. To get the prince to love her, she has to forfeit her thoughts, independence, and identity relying on only her body to get the prince to love her. It sends the message that nobody listens to their words. Disney sometimes changes the original story for its movies. In the original story of The Little Mermaid, the prince says no to marrying Ariel because he wishes he could speak to her. The Disney version is that body language can win over the prince and have the end up happily ever after. Pocahontas is seen as a strong female character; standing up to her father, falling in love with someone outside her culture, and choosing to stay with her family rather than leave with this man. On the other hand, she fell in love with him in one day without being able to speak the same language as him which falls into the traditional female script.
Racism:
In The Fox and the Hound, the fox and the dog are best friends growing up, but when they get older they realize that their worlds are too different for them to continue being friends.
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