Reflection Post

 Prior to this class, I had never examined or thought deeply about any Disney movie. I simply viewed them as a type of entertainment and nothing more. But, through our class discussions and articles that we read, I have come to realize that Disney animated movies are so much more than just fun for kids and in fact convey complex and “grown-up” messages.

 

Disney animated movies contain biases and stereotypes. Just like the people who make them, Disney animated movies are not perfect and unfortunately main older Disney movies portray biases and stereotypes. Although I did not consciously notice them as a child, I did when I watched again now. It is important that we recognize these so that we can educate our children about how these are wrong and steer them in the right direction.

 

Disney animated movies show the evolution in feminism. From Sleeping Beauty (yikes) and Cinderella (ugh) to Frozen and The Princess and the Frog, Disney has come a long way in how it portrays women and women’s roles in society through its films (finally!). Although feminism in Disney is not perfect, there has been a clear shift in the princesses’ goals from finding a prince to achieving their dreams (Tiana).

 

Disney animated movies also have a track record with portraying villains has having stereotypically homosexual traits. While very recent movies have moved away from this trend (Moana and Zootopia), earlier films rarely strayed from this trend. Even Dr. Facilier from Princess and the Frog conformed to this trend. It is important to notice this trend because it sends an immoral message to children (that those with homosexual traits are villains) that is simply wrong.

 

Additionally, having grown up in Orlando, Florida, I had always viewed Disney (the company) in a positive light because I associated it with the park and the movies. Although I got frustrated by the tourist traffic from time to time, I always had a place in my heart for Disney. For this reason, I was surprised when I started reading Team Rodent by Hiassen, another Orlando native. Hiassen is so against Disney and believes the company is a corrupt money making scheme. Although Disney does make a lot of money and Hiassen brought up though provoking examples of Disney being corrupt, I still cherish Disney movies and my childhood memories at the Disney parks. However, I will also remember the corrupt and questionable things Disney has done to get where it is today. I am glad that I read his book though because it showed that there multiple perspectives to every story. It also challenged my opinions and beliefs about Disney, which made me question why I love Disney. It made me realize that I love Disney because of what it stands for to me: family time, fun, and movie nights. Although I did not completely adopt Hiassen’s view point, his perspective has influenced my beliefs about the innocence Disney projects.

Throughout this class, I think the things I learned the most were that:

Everything deserves to be analyzed (even a Disney movie).

Don’t let something’s reputation (like Disney) define how you think about it. Analyze it on your own and then talk about your ideas with others.