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Sexism In Disney Movies

analytical Essay
1820 words
1820 words
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Sexism in Disney movies

Disney movies have a very narrow view of what women should be like. Since the arrival of the first Disney movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, the idea of it has expanded, but rather marginally. There is a clear distinction of what a young women should be and what she shouldn’t be. Those who do not fit the mold of Disney’s expectations are cast aside to become villains, but those who do, end up becoming the damsel in distress. Ultimately, these stereotypes are what influences young girls who watch these films, and can have devastating effects on their self worth and change their idea of what it means to be a women. Films like Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, …show more content…

In this essay, the author

  • Explains that disney movies have a narrow view of what women should be like, and that stereotypes are what influence young girls who watch these films.
  • Analyzes how the princesses have been saved by their princes in all four of their texts, including sleeping beauty, the little mermaid, and snow white.
  • Analyzes how sleeping beauty, cinderella, and snow white all echo the values that were held in the early 1900's - that women are weak willed who needs to be constantly taken care of and supported by a man.
  • Analyzes how princesses in disney movies are portrayed to be one dimensional and have the same talents and ambitions. they are all kind, beautiful, helpful, naive, and overall the ideal women.
  • Analyzes how sexuality plays a large role in cinderella, sleeping beauty, the little mermaid, and snow white and the seven dwarfs, thus contributing to sexism.
  • Analyzes how the images from snow white and the seven dwarfs, cinderella, the little mermaid and sleeping beauty reflect the values held in the 1900s.
  • Analyzes how the stereotypical portrayal of disney princesses emphasizes the sexism in the films. diversity is not explored in any of these films, whether it be about race, weight, character development or personality.

Aurora, Ariel, Cinderella and Snow White are all white, slender, skinny princesses, lacking diversity in physical appearance. They are overtly thin as their waists are freakishly tiny, as are their wrists, in contrast to their eyes which are huge. Disney did not create an animated women of colour lead until Aladdin’s Jasmine in 1992, so it is clear that the norm was white princesses back then. None the less, the stereotypical way the women are physically presented shows a clear distinction of what is considered to be beautiful - which is an unattainable idea. Cinderella’s step-sisters are drawn to be much larger than her, along with bigger noses and butts. The same is done in Sleeping Beauty as the three fairies are more plump, emphasising that they are not beautiful, but rather dimwitted. Good traits are often associated with skinny people whereas negative ones correlate with those who do not fit the standards. These values from as early as 1937 have not changed as in today’s society - photoshop culture is still prevalent, and the idea of needing to be skinny and airbrushed perfect is still maintained. Though the images from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid and Sleeping Beauty reflect the standards of their time, it does not mean that we have overcome these obstacles. These films point out that beauty is only limited to Europeans and that it is very eurocentric - an idea that is still present in today's society, as white-washing is extremely common. It teaches young girls - especially girls of colour, and overweight girls - that there is only one way of being beautiful, and if you do not fit these requirements, you are no longer pretty. It can tremendously harm the self-esteem of these impressionable girls because of the lack of representation in media, especially since these films are marketed for young

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