Essay On Gender Roles In Disney Movies

Both authors indicate parental and business opinions of princesses in pursuance of appealing to many readers. Orenstein expresses her dislike towards Disney princesses by proposing that young girls learn incorrect values from the original princess movies, since they teach women unrealistic love and beauty standards. However, Poniewozik believes that recent live action princess movies demonstrate women achieving their personal goals before seeking true love in order to teach independence and convey his supporting views of modern princesses. While Poniewozik and Orenstein want to see the next generations of females become strong, self-sufficient women that do not need a fairytale lifestyle they disagree with how princess movies in general teach these lessons to young

Disneyfication is based upon the ideals of the Walt Disney Corporation that were presented in the time leading up to the Renaissance of the late 1980s. These films all present women as damsels in distress left waiting for a man to come save them. Even movies that are not about Princesses, like The Aristocats, perpetuate this idea within their plots, and it is about cats. Disneyfied communities expect women to emulate Snow White and Cinderella, to be quiet and docile, and to work hard only in the house while the men do all of the real work. Even when Disney began to feature strong women who could kind of save themselves, like Jasmine, Esmeralda, and Megara, Disneyfied societies clung onto the misogynistic ideals of the past.

While many young girls love the princesses and look up to them, others view these characters as negative role models. Disney Princesses have always appeared in movies as young women who dress in elegant gowns, have sexy bodies and perfect hair. They are always paired with a prince who lives in a castle, meaning that he has a lot of money. This description of what the Disney Princess is like; give us a big concern in the influence this image is giving to the little girls. Unfortunately, what girls learn as children carries on into adulthood.

Disney even designated specific body figures and movements for Cinderella aside from her stepmother and stepsisters. According to the article, “Somatexts at the Disney Shop” by Elizabeth Bell, “The language of ballet, and its coded conventions for spectatorship of “high” art, are embedded in the bodies of young Disney women.”. This well represents how Disney cinema agreed with the patriarchal gender schema. Ballet, one of the most beautiful forms of art, was used to construct the most feminine-like Disney princesses to normalize the denial of women dominance. High class protagonists like Lady Tremaine and Cinderella’s evil stepsisters, “are animated as antitheses to correct dance carriage and movement.

Abstract Most of us have grown up watching Disney films but never really thought of what they exactly mean to us. Our understanding of what it means to be a Disney princess is probably one of the reasons to what made us subject to the regulation of cultural values. Cinderella and other similar Disney princesses may be recognised as a part of an individual’s childhood but the values and ideas it conveyed can still be reflected in our decisions and behaviour as adults. Many young girls perceive Cinderella as a role model and create expectations and beliefs based on what is portrayed through her unfortunately these expectations are not fulfilled and ends in dissatisfaction.

From its onset with its first feature-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, Disney has grown to become a worldwide phenomenon today. But over the years, various parent groups, scholars and film critics have accused Disney for creating shallow, stereotypical princesses whose ultimate aim was to find her 'prince charming ' and live happily ever after. In her article, “What’s Wrong With Cinderella?” in the New York Times, Peggy Orenstein expresses her concern over the effect of princess figures like Cinderella on young girls ' perceptions of themselves and how they should behave (“What’s Wrong With Cinderella?”).

The Negative Portrayal of Women in Disney Princess Movies Disney princess movies are beloved by many little girls; however, the children do not understand that from a young age they’re learning that a woman is only good for her looks. Every princess has a slender frame and that’s what the children are referencing as beautiful. Not to mention that most of the princesses have fair skin. The princesses have very little, if any diversity and are treated as weak objects.

Amanda Putnam’s essay, “Mean Ladies: Transgendered Villains in Disney Films”, is a compelling piece on gender portrayal and views in Disney films. Putnam opened the essay with a personal anecdote about her daughter. Her daughter wanted a Disney movie without a “mean lady”, as in most Disney films the villains are scary, evil women. The real life evidence strengthened her claim that children are noticing the characterization of female villains in Disney films. The antidote was brought fill circle when she referred back to her daughter in the final paragraphs of her essay.

Numerous traditional and modern versions of the Cinderella story have been recreated. These stories depict people of different race and ethnicities from all over the world. Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s Cinderella can be best described as a traditional version of the story with a cultural

Cinderella was of a completely different social class than the prince, but with disguise and enchantment, she won over the prince with her beauty, and he did not even know the girl she was

There are plenty of stereotypical gender roles portrayed in shows that range from children shows to adult comedy. In Aladdin, the TV show that aired in 1944, depicted sexism towards the female character Jasmine. While Aladdin was adventurous with Genie, Jasmine didn’t take part in the more dangerous tasks Aladdin and Genie did. Also, he pretended to be a more rich and famous to impress Jasmine. Therefore, assuming that she isn’t interested than anything other than royalty and money.

While watching Disney movies, do we stop and think about what is really being portrayed in these movies? Do we know what our kids are being taught by these “entertaining, inspirational” movies that has the entire world in its grasp? Growing up, Disney was a big part of my life. They make up my childhood and happy memories. I watched Cinderella almost day, admiring her golden hair, and sea blue eyes, wishing that someday I can transform into a princess and be swept up by a prince.