Do Disney/cartoon films reinforce feminism or not?

Question

I'm not solely talking about the "Princess" movies like Cinderella, Beauty & the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, what about "animal" films like The Lion King, 101 Dalmatians, Bambi, The Fox & the Hound, or the Rescuers? Or even the lesser, non-Disney popular films like The Land Before Time, An American Tail, Anastasia, etc. Your thoughts are appreciated.

Answer 1

A few do, like Mulan and Pocahontas, but that's about it. Nala in The Lion King seemed to be a strong female character, but beyond that, I have no idea.

Answer 2

Mulan, certainly, and arguably Belle from Beauty & the Beast (adventurous and smart), are both strong women. And much as I dislike Disney's take on history in Pocahontes, she was strong as well.

But the animal movies are mostly male-dominated, except for the Rescuers and Lion King 2, and most of the Princess movies are just classic women looking for their knight in shining armor... Snow White very much reinforces gender roles.

I don't see any of them as feminist, though, because none of them try to change the sexist status quo, even Mulan.

Answer 3

Not the ones I grew up with.  If I still believed the crapola they dished out, I'd still be waiting for my prince charming to arrive on his white steed to whisk me away from all this drudgery...  watching my life pass me by as I await my rescuer ~ some male naturally.

Answer 4

Disney films are excellent examples of how traditional gender roles, racial stereotypes and class systems are reinforced in their representations.

In fact, when it comes to representing women and girls they do a splendid job of reinforcing most of the negative stereotypes...wicked step mothers, beauty v crones/witches, young women only actualising when Prince Charming comes along.

Female characters are mothers and passive, but stalwart like Perdita in 101 Dalmatians, and male characters are doers, heros, Princes, Action men, Aladdin, Simba etc.

So, no they do not reinforce feminism in my opinion, however, feminist criticism of the whole Disney output has a relevance.

Answer 5

Disney was not always so politically correct as they are now. You will probably never see "Song of the South" released, for example, because it is clearly racist. However, it accurately reflected the political views on racial stereotypes at the time, when segregation was still alive and well and the law of the land. in many places. This was a time before Rosa Parks took her seat on that bus on that fateful day...

Answer 6

My fav is in Shrek 3 where the girls kick butt.  Snow white rocks when she turns that nice little song into a kick *** Nine Inch Nails...

Answer 7

My thoughts are this the answer is no. A strong woman does not necessarily mean she's a Feminists. Although; women had to dress up like me to fight in either the Revolutionary or the Civil War they still had the fire in them to do so. The mistake that is made is that a woman's assertiveness is associated with Feminism; that is false.