Posts tagged children

“Disney films, and to a lesser extent other animated films, have become the staple of movie fare for children, an institution we bring them up in and use to teach values. One only need to look as far as books such as The Family New Media Guide and The Movie Mom’s Guide to Family Movies to see the recommendation of Disney films for value lessons. The former title even goes on to point out that “Disney has almost become synonymous with wholesome family entertainment.” (p. 59) Neither of these books address the depictions of sexuality and gender role modeling that are an ever present subtext in Disney films.”

“Women are constantly depicted in sexually suggestive ways. Many of the human characters of animated films have suggestive mannerisms, dress or both. Aurora is flirtatious and coy. Pocahontas wears a low-cut dress with plenty of cleavage while Ariel wears nothing but a bikini top. Megara sashays her hips and her dress clings to her body like a second skin and Jasmine’s two-piece outfits are of the harem girl style rather than what real Arabic women wear. Chel dresses differently from every other woman in her tribe. And then there is Esmeralda, whose dance in The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a striptease in all but actually taking off her clothes. Esmeralda’s pole-twirling is straight out of that style. And these suggestive mannerisms are not just limited to the adult women. The little girl in The Jungle Bookis pre-teen, but has already mastered the coy mannerisms of suggestive sexuality to lure Mowgli back to the human village.  Male characters are never shown in this manner.”

http://animation.memory-motel.net/sexuality_american.html

As children, not only do you watch these movies, you see them over and over and over again.  As children your brain is developing, you’re learning about the world, what it’s like, how you fit in, what your position in society is etc.  More than likely children trust their parents completely, and so when they sit them in front of a movie, I don’t doubt that the child’s brain automatically assumes that everything they are seeing is an accurate depiction of the world. 

As far as the argument about knowing that magic etc. doesn’t exist and giving children credit… children can’t combat something they don’t even know is happening, or if they have never seen any alternative. 

I love Twilight.  Went and saw Eclipse yesterday, and I loved it just like I have the other two and all the books.  Throughout the whole movie I was hypersensitive because of all the criticism it’s received regarding Edward being like a d.v. partner, and Bella having to be protected and shit.  I agree that the movies and books support the basic template of the man being supreme and the woman being protected, yet there are many rad key points that stand out for me.  By no means do I think anything should be overlooked, or left unconfronted.  I think it’s extremely important to point at whats wrong and to hold it accountable for how it affects our mass culture, especially considering just how huge Twilight is. 

I suppose I just want to ask why people spend time talking about Twilight, but not any of the other huge movies that our children are raised with.  Like Cinderella and The Little Mermaid.  Or why people don’t talk about parents showing their tiny kids violent horror films.  Comparatively Twilight is minor compared to the movies that are considered ‘normal’.  With Twilight, you can even say you hate it and be part of a collective whole that agree with you, but if you dare say that Disney is sexist, watch the fuck out because at least from what I’ve experienced practically everybody you know will descend on you to defend what is ‘normal’. 

I only want to point out a few things that I really noticed about Twilight in regards to Edward being a controlling bastard.  Bella doesn’t have to fear what Edward will do, if she does what she wants.  Yes, he has every right to be jealous and dislike another trying to go after his significant other.  I would consider that normal.  As far as the author pushing her Mormon beliefs on people, like not having sex until after marriage… While I hardly think that it’s necessary or good or bad or anything like that… I think it’s significant to say that for two people who would die for each other because of their deep bond and love for one another, that they don’t even have to be having passionate sex, is definitely a different type of relationship that one doesn’t typically see anymore.  Sex is awesome important and everything good, but it isn’t the climax of a relationship. 

So thanks to the people who have put a lot of time and energy into confronting the bullshit, I beg you to do the same thing for all the other movies that people are watching everyday, including the ones that you love.  We definitely all have our guilty pleasures… or things that we’ve never considered damaging, but if you think Twilight is bad… look at everything else you’re watching and reading.  The things you’ve taken for granted since being a baby.  Criticise… and start with me.