Hi everyone!
This next week, in my Writing class, my group and I will be creating a podcast. In the podcast, we are answering the course question: "How do Disney films contribute to the construction of gender values?" My group is focusing on how older Disney films portray female and male roles versus how recent Disney films portray female and male roles. For older films, my group and I agreed to talk about Snow White and Iron Man; for newer films, we agreed to talk about Mulan and Doctor Strange. I will specifically be talking about Snow White and Doctor Strange. For Snow White, I will be speaking about how all she wanted throughout the film was to find a prince and fall in love. Although this isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's all she wishes for in life. This gives young girls watching this film the impression that they will only be happy in their life once they fall in love. For Doctor Strange, I will be speaking about his character development throughout the movie. In the beginning, Strange was a conceited, know-it-all doctor but as the film goes on, he becomes a selfless superhero who is willing to sacrifice his life, if it meant the whole world lived.
Below I will be listing 3 sources I will be referencing to in my podcast to strengthen/ back up my points.
1. “Does Hollywood Still Have a Princess Problem?” by Freakonomics Radio
My first source is a podcast by Freakonomics Radio. The host is Stephen J. Dubner. In this podcast, speakers discuss the ways Disney fairytales have influenced the lives of young children. These children grow up thinking this is the way female and male roles should be. The media influences a lot of the way people look at gender and sometimes not even the producers realize what they are doing because it is normal to them. The main idea in this podcast is specifically Disney Princesses. The host develops this idea by asking his daughter how Disney princesses have made her think and he also brings in special guests to speak about statistics. I plan to use this source to help me develop the idea that a common theme in older Disney films is a young woman in desperate need of finding a man. In the podcast, one of the guest speakers, Shawn Bailey, states, "The original Little Mermaid movie was also problematic in gender form because Ariel, in order to get her man, has to give up her voice which is her most magical and distinctive quality" (45:11). This will help me show that now only in Snow White does the princess hope to find a man.
2. Masculinity, Marvel Style by Matt Cates
I read this article by Matt Cates for one of my assignments in class. Cates starts the article by defining what toxic masculinity is. He defines toxic masculinity as rating how manly a man is by measuring how many miles ran, partners slept with, and pounds benched pressed a man can do. Cates develops his idea by showing a different example of heroes and telling each of their stories. I plan to help his article to strengthen my idea about character development. For example, Cates states, “I think we can continue to draw inspiration from our favorite film characters, continue to feel empowered by their successes while learning from their mistakes” (Cates). As we see, Strange wasn't the brightest person at the beginning of the film. Just because you make mistakes, those mistakes don't define you. Instead, use the lessons learned from your mistakes and grow as a person. Just like Stange’s personality grew throughout the movie. Just because he was a selfish, conceited person in the past doesn't define who he is in the present, At the end of the film, Strange proves he cares for others and wants to save the world.
3. Disney Feminist Review: Snow White (v2) by GoingRampant
My third source is a Youtube video by GoingRampant that discusses the effects of Snow White on society as a feminist. In this video, GoingRampant points out that when Snow White comes across the 7 dwarfs they make an agreement to let her stay if she cleans and cooks (this was Snow White's idea). GoingRampant says, “This really plays out the idea that men and women should naturally interact [like this]” (9:08). I agree with this statement because dwarfs are seen as dirty because they are men and women are supposed to be the ones to clean. I would like to use this idea by GoingRampant to help me develop points about how men and women are portrayed differently in Disney films. I would like to elaborate on how young viewers watching this grow up thinking this behavior is supposed to be like that and it is just the roles of gender.
Thank you for reading!
-Leslie G. Carrillo
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