Disney Heroines and the Need for Perfection
Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 9:18 pm
Dear Disney Enthusiasts,
XXX!
XXX!
Dear Disney Enthusiasts,
XXX!
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Disney Heroines and the Need for Perfection
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Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 3:53 am
Posted: Sat May 28, 2011 7:20 pm
I actually read this the day you posted, but I wasn't sure how to reply + I was busy at the same time. 
I think that over-perfection may be a reason behind my impression of Bianca. Disney heroines have a heavy load to bear, especially these days. For some reason, they have to be everything in order to not be sexist: they must be empowered, they must never rely on a man/other people, they must be smart/kind/active, they mustn't be brat-ish/pompous/condescending/any-other-negative-trait, and so on. But then they must also be visually perfect, according to Disney animation standards, which also received criticism (though nobody minds us men growing up with unrealistic body images like Hercules and Tarzan to look up to).
I think a lot of that need for perfection out of the female characters limits the ability to create interesting characters. I don't mind superwomen like Mulan, Esmeralda and Pocahontas, but I also love characters like Ariel, Megara, Tiana, or Rapunzel who have flawed and imperfect characteristics. They kind of match the more humanized male characters of the past two decades (Aladdin, Beast, Naveen, Flynn, etc.). I think it's that fear that such portrayals will be "sexist" that prevent them from creating flawed characters like Beast that are female. Which is a shame, because I would enjoy more complex female characters (that aren't villains).
I think that over-perfection may be a reason behind my impression of Bianca. Disney heroines have a heavy load to bear, especially these days. For some reason, they have to be everything in order to not be sexist: they must be empowered, they must never rely on a man/other people, they must be smart/kind/active, they mustn't be brat-ish/pompous/condescending/any-other-negative-trait, and so on. But then they must also be visually perfect, according to Disney animation standards, which also received criticism (though nobody minds us men growing up with unrealistic body images like Hercules and Tarzan to look up to).
I think a lot of that need for perfection out of the female characters limits the ability to create interesting characters. I don't mind superwomen like Mulan, Esmeralda and Pocahontas, but I also love characters like Ariel, Megara, Tiana, or Rapunzel who have flawed and imperfect characteristics. They kind of match the more humanized male characters of the past two decades (Aladdin, Beast, Naveen, Flynn, etc.). I think it's that fear that such portrayals will be "sexist" that prevent them from creating flawed characters like Beast that are female. Which is a shame, because I would enjoy more complex female characters (that aren't villains).