Gender Stereotyping in Disney Films

If we look closely at Disney animated films like the Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Snow White, and Beauty and the Beast, we can definitely pick up on the gender stereotyping performed within the narrative. If we take a step back and scrutinize the general overview of Disney characters, we can see that they are characterized by narrowly defined gender roles. The male heroes or protagonists, for example, like Hercules, Aladdin or the Beast are always the ones to save the inferior damsel in distress. Even more blatant is the gender stereotyping of female roles. They are usually portrayed as subordinate, and if they do have power, they are usually evil characters (e.g. the evil Queen in Snow White and the evil octopus witch in the Little Mermaid). Often times, the female character is always the object or prize won by the male character. Jasmine is created under a dominant male narrative in the sense of being the object of Aladdin’s desire. Ariel constantly has to abide by the wishes of her father, and the only way she acquires autonomy is by sacrificing her most priceless gift: her voice. Only then does she receive the legs to free herself from the water world and walk on land to pursue her lover. Snow White, on the other hand, seems to be restricted to traditional roles like cleaning. Similarly, Belle, even after the Beast captures her father as his prisoner, is expected to perform her role and civilize the Beast with love.

What’s the big deal? What do you think this communicates to the children constantly watching these films over and over, and exposed to the same hegemonic gender stereotypes inherent to the depiction of these characters? Watching children’s media is an extremely influential way for children to make sense of their world, shape their self-perceived identities and how they fit in. Little girls are thus promoted to think that they are expected to have sexed up hourglass figures, long eyelashes and all the other female stereotypes that are created through the dominant male gaze.

Racial Stereotyping in Disney

If you watch Disney animated films in scrutiny, the racial stereotyping that they create are pretty evident. Don’t believe me? In the Jungle Book, the portrayal of African Americans as monkeys, stereotypically linked through language and jive dance, outgrows their prior crude representation as crows. Similarly, in Aladdin, it’s interesting how the protagonist Aladdin is illustrated with obvious Western features while the villain Jafar and the palace guards are illustrated as having ethnic features with humungous bell pepper shaped noses. Perhaps more intriguing is the Aladdin theme song “Arabian Nights.” In my Childrens Media class, I overheard the rumor that there were originally two versions of that song, and Disney chose the more stereotypical and “racist” version. And I wouldn’t doubt it. Just look at the lyrics: “And the heat is intense. It’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home.” So now, young children watching who don’t know any better have a stereotype implemented into their young minds: that Arabs tend to have distinctly different features and are a barbaric people from an undesirable place. In addition, in Peter Pan, Native Americans are stereotyped to all have incredibly red skin and live in teepee tents.
The racial stereotyping in Disney films are not only coded through imagery and the physical features of the characters, but also through language and accents. In Lady and the Tramp, for example, Asian people are represented through the Siamese cats and portrayed as all speaking with the same distinct oriental accent. Through the various means of stereotyping, Disney uses the cultural differences expressed through a naturalized racial hierarchy to show the hegemonic White patriarchal American family as the most standard, normal and privileged.

Disnification

What is Disnification? In my past studies in children’s media, Disnification has become a term used to not only illuminate how society is increasingly similar to Disney theme parks but also raise awareness of Disney’s dominating cultural authority.
The Disney Corporation, for example, uses their characters (e.g. Aladdin, Buzz Lightyear, Snow White, etc.) as prototypes for marketing blitz. When children watch Disney films, they grow a special relationship with the characters. And when Disney starts to produce toy action figures of those characters or even food products like fruit snacks shaped like Disney characters, children cannot resist but to request those products. Parents have to suffer through the whining and ultimately have to spend the money to satisfy their children. Other children’s media like Nickelodeon are using similar strategies. In a documentary called Consuming Kids, a little girl was interviewed and asked why she wanted to buy the Spongebob Squarepants macaroni as opposed to regular EasyMac. She replied, “Because it tastes better” (even though she has never tried Spongebob macaroni before).
Even in non-animated Disney films, they are constantly trying to act as a figure of cultural authority; for example, they constantly project their own meanings of happiness and ideal social life. In the older films, we witness how the suburban white family seems to be the equation to happiness and wealth. As a result, this could have detrimental effects on minority children who are trying to fit their identity in with the rest of their social world. Disney blurs the boundaries between entertainment, education and commercialization through omnipotence of Disney’s reach into diverse spheres of everyday life. However, they inevitably produce negative effects. They are prescribing themes to everything, homogenizing mass consumption and production and providing imaginary and false realities. Yet their corporation is so huge they are nearly untouchable. We must find ways to illuminate the negative issues produced by Disnification. In the near future, I will discuss particular ways Disney influences children and their identity construction process through hegemonic ideologies.