It's no secret that I adore Disney movies. How could you not? They're the perfect story: a dashing hero, a beautiful and intelligent heroine, various hilarious sidekicks, a truly awful villain, a thrilling adventure, and a bunch of fantastic songs that everyone in the whole world knows. However, it was brought to my attention my senior year of high school that some people think that Disney movies, particularly the princess movies, are *gasp!* sexist!
Last year in English, my teacher, showed us these YouTube videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8xCgC3w1zs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uuk-h2ZYNJU&feature=relmfu
The lesson was that Disney movies are misogynistic because they portray weak and foolish women who make stupid choices in order to get a man, and that they teach little girls bad values. Like how Belle rejected a "determined, goal-oriented, popular man" (Gaston) for a monster. Needless to say, I was upset. For one thing, no one better criticize my Disney movies around me. Secondly, the videos, and my teacher, are just plain wrong. The real reason Disney movies (and Pixar movies) are so great is that they have layers. When you're five, you like the pretty colors and the songs. When you're ten, you like the jokes and the princes. When you're eighteen, you like the manifestation of the hero's journey and the deeper, political meaning. And the songs. The truth is that while the earlier princesses like Snow White and Cinderella may have just waited around for a prince to rescue them, the more recent ones (that is, those who appeared as part of the "Disney Renaissance" [the era of fantastic and award winning animated Disney movies from 1989 to 1998]) showed a distinct rise in personal strength and feminism. I'm going to explain exactly how the Disney princesses, and the Disney girls in general, not only sing catchy songs and look nice in dresses, but totally kick butt too.
(Note: I'm going to ignore all sequels, because, face it, they're silly.)
Let's start with the girl who ushered in the Disney Renaissance, all the way back in 1989--The Little Mermaid.
Ariel: Ariel seems like a stereotypical damsel in distress, and a poor role model for young girls. Like the video above pointed, she ran away from her father and her family, in order to chase down a guy. She made a deal with an evil woman to give up her best feature in order to change who she was, all for a guy. Sure, you can look at it that way. However, the truth about Ariel's situation is revealed when we see the one scene where her many sisters actually speak. The spend their days doing their hair, playing with makeup, and practicing their singing. In other words, they live meaningless lives full of pampering, vanity, and ignorance. They blindly accept their prejudiced father's command to stay away from the surface. Ariel, on the other hand, can actually think for herself. She wants to learn and see the world. Her deal with Ursula was a last, desperate attempt to leave the stifling undersea world and become her own person. She was thirsty for knowledge and new experiences, but if she had remained in Atlantica she would have remained a powerless child, would have never been given the opportunity to be anything other than a pretty voice. Instead, she goes on land, finds a man who loves and respects her, removes the barrier of racism between the humans and mermaids, and becomes a queen.
Ariel teaches us to follow your dreams and seek out your own answers. She teaches us to be an individual and never stop searching for new knowledge.
Ariel rocks.
The next princess to come along was the title character in Beauty and the Beast (Beauty, that is. Not the Beast).
Belle: She's more than just a "beauty." That she has intelligence and depth of character is the ENTIRE POINT OF THE MOVIE. The Belle "Advice for Young Girls" video was extremely upsetting. Let me go line by line and explain why Belle is an INCREDIBLE role model for kids, and also my favorite princess.
1. She likes to read. Enough said. But I'm going to say more anyway. She likes to REread. Sure, she's a beautiful and desirable girl. She's also a huge nerd. How on earth is it bad to teach girls that they can be smart and pretty? Take care of your body AND your mind, kids. Belle teaches us it's ok to be literate and to stand out from the crowd.
2. She doesn't take any crap from Gaston. The video said "This really determined and goal-oriented man wanted to marry me, but I said no, because I didn't think it was enough of a challenge." Excuse me, but what? Feminists, back me up on this. Gaston was a huge jerk. He ordered Belle to marry him because she was pretty. When she rejected him because of his cruel, demeaning, and chauvinistic attitude, he showed up and tried to get her to marry him anyway! He is the ultimate example of the kind of man modern mothers warn their daughters to stay away from. Belle teaches us to never settle for anything less than a man who treats you like a person, and not like a piece of meat.
3. She sacrifices herself to save her father. Of all the wonderful things Belle does over the course of the movie, I personally think this is the best. It is a fantastic example of personal strength and filial love. Belle teaches us to be selfless, and that it's possible to be pretty, smart, AND brave.
4. She doesn't let the Beast boss her around. She may be a prisoner, but she was not going to be cowed. Even in the darkest of times, she remained strong and brave, keeping her wits about her. Later on, she basically took control of the castle, turning it into a home, exploring every dark corner, and befriending the "staff." Her strength of character even did the impossible: she turned the Beast back into a man. Belle definitely deserved to be a princess. She teaches us to never give up, to make the best of a bad situation, and that whatever life throws at you, you can handle it.
Belle teaches us what it really means to be a woman of indomitable strength and unshakable character.
Belle rocks. A lot.
Disney next came out with the only "princess" (of the six main princesses) to not be the title character of her movie, Aladdin.
Jasmine: The movie, Aladdin, tackled a new set of issues. Jasmine's beautiful prison of a palace embodied the of misogyny and male supremacy rampant in their society. She was not allowed to leave the palace walls, and she had only been saved thus far from an arranged marriage to an awful man because her father--against all odds--loved her. Imagine that! Even though she had to be saved by a man in the end, look at what she did on her own. Like Ariel, she escaped, and unlike Ariel, she wasn't even chasing a man. She just wanted to be free. She was also very aware of her own self-worth and how she deserved to be treated with respect. "I am not some prize to be won!" No Jasmine, you most certainly are not. She also showed a new aspect of Disney princesses--they're aware of the effect they have on men, and they use it to their advantage. She tricked Aladdin into revealing his identity (kind of. Aladdin is a HUGE liar) and she distracted Jafar to give Aladdin time to steal back the lamp. Jasmine is smart and funny, as well as sexy. She shows that she's capable of handling herself in difficult situations, and that women are intelligent enough to make their own decisions about life and love. I have a feeling that princesses in Agrabah were treated very differently in the future.
Jasmine teaches us to stand up for ourselves and demand to be respected for who we are.
Jasmine rocks.
The next Disney movie to feature a woman worthy of this list: Pocahontas. She's not one of the "princesses," but she's a Disney Renaissance woman, and her dad is a chief. That counts.
Pocahontas: This movie, for some reason, is not widely appreciated. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 56% rating. It may be because of the blatant rewriting of history, or the dark truth looming over the seemingly happy ending. Despite the amicable parting of white people and Indians, we all know what happens next. However, many, many others love this movie, and it's easy to see why. Pocahontas herself is such a fun character. Like Jasmine, she faces an arranged marriage that will signal the end to her freedom. The song "Just Around the Riverbend" implies that if she were to marry as she is supposed to, her dreams and her spirit will be crushed. "Should I choose the smoothest course/Steady as a beating drum/Should I marry Kokoum/Is all my dreaming at an end." Pocahontas believes that life is meant to be enjoyed, and her open heart and mind allow her to realize the connections, not just between all the creatures of the Earth, but between two very different and antagonistic civilizations. She is not bound by fear or racism, and ends up saving her people (for a little while at least). She stands up to her father and to her tribe, showing them the error of their ways. It is her strength, love, and lack of prejudice that allows for the movie's happy ending.
Pocahontas teaches us to always see the good in the world, and in other people. She also teaches us to never give up on our dreams.
Pocahontas rocks.
All right, the next movie of importance released during this period is ONE OF THE BEST DISNEY MOVIES OF ALL TIME. I'm talking about a movie most people hate, because it's dark and feels distinctly un-Disneylike. I could go on and on about this movie, how if you watch it as kid's entertainment it's disturbing, but if you watch it as a legitimate movie it's FANTASTIC, how it's an amazing story of the evils of hypocrisy and the the importance of standing up for righteousness, how it is an incredible example of the capacity humans have for good or evil, and an inspirational story of the ultimate triumph of the goodness of the human spirit, but since this post is purely about the Disney women, I won't. Oh, I'm talking about the Hunchback of Notre Dame, by the way.
Esmerelda: Esmerelda isn't a princess. Far from it. But I think she deserves to be on this list. Because she is a commoner and an outcast, she has developed an enormous capacity for compassion and kindness. Her friendship gives Quasimodo the strength he needs to stand up to his tormentor and reclaim his life. On her own, she is pretty incredible. She's smart, tough, and unafraid to speak her mind. She also refuses to compromise her character. While she's tied to the stake, about to burn for her rejection of Frollo, she spits in his face instead of accepting his proposal and ensuring her release. She also self-sufficient and clever during her time as a gypsy. I think people have criticized the movie for having Esmerelda end up with that strong and attractive soldier Phoebus instead of Quasimodo, but I'm okay with it. Quasimodo, for the first time in his life, was free, and needed to enjoy his freedom and his newfound friends. Phoebus also completely deserved Esmerelda. He had a pure heart, refused to murder innocent people on the judge's orders, jeopardizing his own life, and almost single-handedly led the revolution against Frollo's tyranny. But I digress. I just really like this movie.
Esmerelda teaches us to stand up for yourself, and for those that can't stand on their own. She teaches us to have compassion and strength.
Esmerelda rocks.
Quick question: What's the best-loved VHS (among the staff, at least) at St. Matthew's Presbyterian Church Nursery?
Answer: HERCULES!!!!!
Meg: How can you not love Meg? By the time we get to Esmerelda and Meg, we don't even have to question the feminine strength of the Disney women. They are just awesome. Meg, for instance, is street-smart and witty. She totally slays Hercules' heart, and proves herself as a hero when she sacrifices herself to save the only hope humanity had left. I mean, who does that? Someone who is really in love, and someone who refuses to let evil win. You know that quote, "Behind every great man is a great woman"? So true, especially in this movie. Because of Meg, Hercules became a GOD. That's right, her influence on him was so great that he was able to achieve ultimate power and immortality. Even more, he GAVE IT ALL UP to be with her. If that isn't a sign of her awesomeness, I don't know what is! Plus, you know, she's hilarious and doesn't let anything, even being eternally bound to the devil, crush her spirits.
Meg teaches us to keep up hope during the darkest times, and that some things are worth the sacrifice.
Meg rocks.
Ok I'm going to briefly mention a girl who isn't a princess or really a huge character in the Disney universe, but still has something important to teach us. We can find her by popping in our beautiful, old VHS tape of Tarzan.
Jane: Jane is just a lot of fun. She's kind of a ditzy character, but I think that deciding to go to Africa, and to stay in Africa, is pretty incredible. During that era, women never did anything other than sip tea and have babies. Jane is an adventurer, and her boundless love of life and her unquenchable curiosity take her to places that few people, not to mention women, had gone before.
Jane teaches us that we can do anything.
Jane rocks.
All right, I know what you're thinking. "Come on Emily. You're forgetting someone!" No, I'm not. I'm just saving the best for last. Do you honestly think that I could write a novel about how incredible and powerful Disney girls are and leave out the quintessential example of feminine formidability? Here she is, the girl who took her father's armor, ran away from home, impersonated a soldier, lied to her commanding officer, endangered the lives of thousands of men, destroyed the emperor's palace, and...saved us all.
Mulan: Any time any sad, sad person criticizes Disney for only giving sweet and dainty girls happy endings, shove this woman in their face. Mulan is the exact opposite of a delicate princess. She was a klutzy tomboy, who preferred hanging out with the animals on her farm to learning the ridiculous rules for how perfect Chinese brides were supposed to behave. She is a "girl who's got a brain/who always speaks her mind." Seriously, this girl can do no wrong as a role model for our little girls. She cares deeply for her family, willing to risk everything to protect her father. She has a strong sense of justice, and stands up to the unfairness of the male-dominated Chinese empire. Her father had served his country; it was dishonorable to send him back. After she joined the army, she became truly incredible. It wasn't just that she received training and learned how to fight. It's that she gave her all to become the best she knew she could be. Although she was weaker than the men, and unfamiliar with physical combat, she was the one to retrieve the arrow, just to prove that she was able. She became an inspiration to her fellow soldiers, and her growth helped turn a group of ragtag farm boys into a united and efficient fighting team. During the only battle they actually fought, guess who destroyed the Hun army? That's right. Mulan. She realized that brute force wasn't good enough, and that only strategy would save her country. After she single-handedly destroys the worst threat China has ever faced, her ruse is discovered and she is dishonorably cast out. Instead of becoming bitter and turning her back on the people who betrayed her, she returns to the city to inform the army and the emperor that Shan Yu and his most devoted lackeys were still alive, and coming to avenge their defeat. No one believes her, but even now, she does not give up. She is ready to rush in and stop the evil Hun leader, by herself if necessary. Thankfully, Shan Yu shows himself and her honesty is revealed. Her friends, who really knew all along how incredible she was, follow her into the palace to save China once and for all. Again, she risks her life by confronting Shan Yu one-on-one, allowing the emperor and her friends to escape, and again, it is her brilliance that destroys him and saves the country. Mulan was the bravest woman, no, bravest
person, in the empire, and I think this movie ought to be required watching for every little girl in the world.
Mulan teaches us that we can do anything. Anything. When it comes to honor, personal strength, patriotism, and bravery, it doesn't matter what gender you are. Don't let anyone tell you what you're capable of. Only you can decide what you can or can't do. Mulan did what she did because she knew that she had to. It didn't matter that she was a woman, and that the physical tasks were harder. She resolved to become as strong and powerful as she needed to be, and it happened. Mulan teaches us that women rock.
Mulan doesn't just rock. She's every girl's hero. Or she should be.
Disney is just amazing. Anybody who wants to criticize the Disney corporation, ESPECIALLY the Disney girls, needs to stop and think. These movies are not about finding a husband or letting others make your choices for you. They're about being the best you can be, and finding the strength to do whatever it takes to create your own happy ending.
