Racism in Disney Films - the Disney Company

The Disney Company is one of the largest and most influential companies in America and in the World. Its influence is shown through everything from movies, to theme parks, to children's toys. In Henry Giroux's The Mouse That Roared, he examines the influence that Disney has on us and our children and how it affects our thoughts and ideologies. In a sentiment I strongly agree with, Giroux states that Disney has a much greater influence than it should, and that it uses this power to instill many of their beliefs into the minds of unsuspecting young children, who are their target audience. Unfortunately, some of the ideas that they are conveying are negative in nature and are not ideas that should be put into the minds of young children. Three such examples are the gender roles in their movies, the blatant racism in these films, and a less talked about issue which is the constant use of antidemocratic systems in which these movie characters live.

The construction of gender roles has always been one of the most controversial issues in Disney movies. An example of this that can be seen immediately is in the shape and proportion of the female characters' bodies. Each female protagonist serves as the symbol of physical flawlessness. Along with a display of wholesomeness and virtuosity, each Disney heroine possesses a tiny waistline, perfectly proportioned facial structures, skin-tight, skin-baring clothes, and voluptuous curves that attract members of the opposite sex. With knowledge of these facts, you could a look at animators' sketches and storyboards to look at the realities behind Disney films-particularly The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Pocahontas-and realize that the portrayal of females in these films creates an idealized image of the female body type. This image becomes a main factor in teenage eating disorders and depression. The character of Princess Jasmine, for example, with her long, flowing hair and big beautiful eyes has been criticized for her tiny waist and disproportionally large breasts. For little girls with impressionable minds, seeing this leads to a comparison between her figure and their own, and obviously they can't compare to such unrealistic proportions. To make things worse, in The Little Mermaid, the evil villain Ursula is an abnormally large and overweight character. She is portrayed as hideously evil, greedy, and self-absorbed. When little girls see the comparison between the beautifully thin mermaid, Ariel and the obese Ursula, they begin to associate being overweight with something that is evil. Disney's toys are also made in a way that we quickly become distanced from what it real and normal. Barbie, for example, is in most girls lives from a very young age. It is probably near impossible to prevent exposure to Barbie for most young girls. Barbie is a cultural icon in America, and what's so disappointing about this is that she is a ridiculous ideal for young girls to model themselves after. Not only would she be 7 feet 2 inches tall, but she'd also have a 40" bust line, a tiny 22" waist, and 36" hips. On top of that, Barbie would not have enough room in her waistline to have full sized organs. Due to her proportions, she would have to walk on all fours because her body would not be able to support her. Barbie's body is literally impossible for all girls and women to attain. These depictions of flawless body types are having a major impact on our youth and it is very troubling what it is doing to