As little kids (yes, even the boys) most of us were part of the Disney “cult.”  We were avid watchers of the movies, played with the action figures and dolls and may have even made a trip or two to visit the famous Disney World. Parents, encouraged by the G rating of many Disney movies, encouraged the movies and the positive messages that came with them. Obviously, Disney had a profound affect on many of our childhoods. But was it really a positive affect?  After looking closely at the messages behind many Disney movies, many theorist have actually contributed Disney movies to the ideas of gender objectification beginning at a relatively young age.

At the age of 4 when given the choice between a male doll and a female doll and asked the question “Who cleans the house?” all 10 children pointed to the female doll. Similarly, when asked “Who raises the kids?” the children responded with the same response. Many who witnessed this survey found it shocking that gender objectification could occur at such an early age. Although the classic case of nature vs. nurture was ruled to have an effect, many of the scientists involved with the study also looked into the type of entertainment available to the children.  Unsurprisingly, all 10 children had hear of or encountered Disney in some manner.

After examining the early Disney princess movies, researchers made some shocking discoveries that let them to conclude that the movies were actually not appropriate for their target audience: young girls.  The princesses, who were all depicted with extremely small features, coke glass figures and who were all seeking husbands, only backs up the conclusions that the Disney movies were basically encouraging girls to “sexy, weak and married.”

For the few Americans who have not seen Ariel, Snow White and Cinderella, we all still know the story line. Three princess who find true love and live happily ever after. But is that really the case. The Little Mermaid: A movie that encourages girls to leave their families, change their bodies and abandon the one thing they love most to make the “man of their dreams” happy. Snow White: When beauty at first seems like a horrible thing (it almost gets her killed) it prevails in attracting a man for protection. Not only does this enforce the idea that women are fragile and have to be used for protection, but it also enforces the idea that beauty is the only thing men find attractive. Finally, Cinderella: If you are beautiful, maybe you can find a man wealthy enough to save you from your poverty. No hard work involved. Just marriage.   Even The Beauty and the Beast, a movie about an independent bookwork, also leaves young girls with the idea that if an abusive man cannot be changed with love and charm then she has failed and will never achieve her happy ending.

I of course grew up watching Disney movies. I still unashamedly have a “Disney’s Children Playlist” radio station on my Pandora radio, and in Disney’s defense, they have made an effort in recent years to combat the white, petite stereotype. Tiana, the first African America princess, was also the first to not be searching for a Prince and instead was searching for means of starting her own business.

Of course Disney is not the sole reason for female objectification, other social media outlets and sources such as Playboy are much more influential in portraying females as sex objects whose only purpose is pleasing men. Disney does, however, have a profound effect on children that is then carried into adulthood. Although banning Princess movies is hardly an option, maybe either watching newer (and more appropriate) Disney movies or parents talking to their children about the movies would help to reduce the resulting gender objectification.

http://www.alligator.org/opinion/columns/article_f9b654e2-5fef-11e0-91fc-001cc4c002e0.html

http://saysellemarie.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/walt-disney-the-magical-world-of-objectification/