Before becoming a mom, the only Disney princess movie I saw in its entirety was the 1989 version of The Little Mermaid. My fourth-grade teacher showed the film in class as a reward for our good behavior during her extended absence. It was selected by a majority vote. It was not my pick.
My younger self thought the Disney narratives were boring and too girly. I was a tomboy. I wore hats and boy’s clothes. After making my first communion, I embarked on a boycott of all skirts and dresses. It lasted 17 years. Disney, and other media portraying similar archetypes, did not make me feel like I needed to be a certain type of girl but it did make me feel like I wasn’t the right type of girl. From a very young age, I had a sense that some part of who I was challenged what others thought I should be. Luckily, I was strong-willed and this did not impact my behavior but, in retrospect, it did influence my self-esteem and confidence As Disney diversified their characters I began to enjoy Disney movies more. They became more relatable.
Christensen’s critique of Disney culture validates my views. In her chapter Unlearning the Myths that Bind Us: Critiquing fairy tales and cartoons, Christensen begins her discussion by pointing out how, from a very early age, we are manipulated to accept the world as it is represented: male-dominated, influenced by wealth, valuing whiteness, prioritizing Christian ideals. It is from these representations that a sense of how the world works begins to develop. Without exposure to alternative narratives, young people are left to create ideas and beliefs about the world and themselves based on the hierarchies and inequalities portrayed in popular media.
Christensen provided her students with the necessary tools and challenged them to view children's tv, film, and literature through a critical lens. Their takeaways were lasting and meaningful. They developed new, actionable ideas about children's media and its role in society.
Hi Bridget. I liked reading your post and stand on the same page when it comes to Christensen's critique of Disney.
ReplyDeleteI liked how Christensen created this activity for her students to navigate and create their own representation of Disney, she also introduced the term "secret education", these movies have a consistent storyline a white rich strong able body man (prince) is saving a weak sad woman to make her their princess. As we get older we start to see that this is not a healthy way to think.
ReplyDeleteI found your blog to be very interesting. Unlike many children, you did not grow up watching Disney movies, but they were still able to impact your thinking and feeling like you weren't "the right type of girl" as you stated. I think this post really shows how powerful media is, and the hold it can have over young people. Thank you for sharing!
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