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| Image from joyreactor.com |
Throughout time, women have always been sexualized whether for commercials, movies, or music videos. During the age of Disney films and still to this day, men are known or they themselves feel superior to women. Men are known to be strong, dominant, and the boss of household. So why wouldn't sexism be in Disney films?
Romanticize racism is a new phrase I learned when researching about Disney. Disney has portrayed romanticize racism in the films. What is this type of racism you ask? Romanticize racism is when a gender is categorized as something specific. For example, if a man wanted to marry an Indian woman because she was shy, quiet, simple, and would be his house wife, that is romanticize racism. Many Disney movies have the concept of romanticize racism.
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| Image from Fanpop. |
Romanticized racism and sexism have been interlocked together in Disney films. Princess Belle, from Beauty and the Beast, is a movie which interlocks romanticized racism and sexism. Pam Ryan states in the article, "Disney's Hidden Sexist Messages" how the Beast and Belle are in an abusive relationship. As you can see in the film, he was yelling at her, had anger issues, and was breaking things around the house. Not so health, right? Even with all of the madness, she stays and accepts him.
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| Image from Fanpop.com |
Belle leaves her family (Dad) and her town to stay with this "monster". Ryan states how Disney portrays the domestic abuse with the "stick with a bad situation, happy in the end." Not always the case Disney. This is intriguing because when a girl likes a man or marries a man, she leaves her household and basically everything, to be with him and be in his life. Belle is doing the same thing... am I right or am I right? Sexism occurs not just for women in Disney films.
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| Image from tribute.ca. |
Disney has not wronged women, but men too. Gaston, another character from Beauty and the Beast, is sexist also. First, Gaston, wants an uneducated beauty women states Ryan. He wants a housewife and mother for his ideal boys (his sons). As Belle is interested in books and reading, he doesn't like that. Gaston wants to change Belle to suit his needs.
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| Image from Walt Disney Pictures. |
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| Image from India Times. |
Ryan addresses how Gaston is praised for his specific criteria and superiority complex. Indeed, we can see it in the song Gaston. We also can see his over-sized muscles, showing off. Gaston is also fighting to get Belle, for example, fighting the beast, her father, and arguing with his buddy to have Belle. Gaston, she doesn't want you, leave Belle alone. However, he doesn't, he comes into her home and also tries to force marriage upon her. She still does not want you, bro. Enough with the simple, delicate girl scenario, we need a patriotic soul up in here.
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| Image from Fanpop.com |
Esmeralda, "the gypsy girl" from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, is the patriotic soul. She was hard-core and fierce, one of my favorites. However, Esmeralda is not a princess and she is a gypsy, which is looked down upon. Ryan states how she is looked down because of liberty. If you remember the film, Esmeralda fights for justice and she raises her voice no matter who it is in front of. She also fights hardcore too. I kind of wish I could do that. Esmeralda is also clever, smart, and witty; however, still looked down upon and insulted like trash. She was looked down for being what a "man" should be.
This is only part one of sexism, it gets better. Not really, it gets really heartbreaking to see that kids actually watch this and interpret gender roles. I believe gender roles are extremely important because children start noticing differences in gender, for example, how a girl or boy is supposed to act and what they are supposed to be wearing. I wonder how these Disney films affected folks around my age group and how about kids now?
What are your thoughts about sexism in Disney? Has it affected you?
Last picture I promise:
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| Image from Fanpop. |
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