25 Gendered Stereotypes & Disney Movies

Keywords: Gendered Stereotypes, Adolescents, Gender Roles, Disney Movies

Children are very susceptible to social influences during as they go through early developmental stages which can affect how they develop gender-typed behaviour. Although gender is fluid and can change with maturation, the early years of childhood development are a very pivotal time. During this age children start to develop their own gender identities and begin setting expectations as to how other genders should behave and act. In this article, I will be looking at how Disney movies support traditional gendered-stereotypes in their animated characters and how that impacts children’s gender identity and behaviours. As it has been shown that a child’s gender role identity is strongly affiliated with their self-perception because these will influence and determine how parents, peers, and adults will choose to interact with them (Bogt, et al, 2010). So I will be looking at how Disney movies impact children’s gender development. 

Majority of parents will put on Disney movies for their children, as that is what’s popular for young children, but what they are neglecting is how harmful these movies can be for their child’s gender development. These movies support traditional gender-stereotypical roles, and in almost every Disney movie the princesses are portrayed in the same manner. Which is usually in a calm, submissive, docile and helpless matter. The problem with this is that children are always observing, and mimicking what they see whether it be from parents, peers or even from movies. If movies have characters that are demonstrating specific and stereotypical gender roles children will watch and mimic those behaviours in real life. This can be a concerning factor when looking at how a child’s gender will be constructed. Disney movies have set specific gender expectations on their characters, and since these movies heavily influence children it can leave them to only portray certain behaviours that are expected with their gender.

Theories

It has been established that adolescence is a critical and delicate time in a child’s gender identity, and being exposed to gendered stereotypes in animated movies can be very harmful in a child’s development. There are multiple theories that have been applied to better understand the gendered stereotypes that are present in animated films, specifically Disney movies.

Social Cognitive Theory suggests that repeatedly observing gendered stereotypes in movies can contribute significantly to a child’s concept of gender (Hine, et al, 2018). This theory explains how children learn these gendered behaviours through the process of modelling, and direct tuition (Hine, et al, 2018). This is often done through a process called modelling. Modelling occurs when children learn gendered behaviours from others, and it has been shown that children will learn best from people of the same gender (Hine, et al, 2018). Direct tuition occurs when a child is rewarded for demonstrating behaviours that are generally associated with their gender. This direct tuition can occur through parents and peers, and in this case films and media. As previously mentioned children mimic behaviours from adults, peers, or even characters they praise. Children then will begin to implement these behaviours into their personal life (Bogt, et al, 2010).

Research Studies 

A study followed young girls aged 4-7 that watched Disney movies, and idolized Disney Princesses discovered that girls implement the princess storyline into their playtime, but also demonstrated strong gendered expectations (Golden, et al, 2018). Disney Princess media leaves young girls to address powerful and consistent messages regarding gender norms and roles. Many girls will watch these movies and then alter their behaviour to mimic the princess they admire, or relate with most. Follow up studies
found that these young girls began exhibiting traditional gendered-stereotyped behaviours in the classroom (Golden, et al, 2018).

Though it appears through research that Disney movies more strongly impact young girls it can also impact boys. In a similar study research found that boys who watch Disney movies whether there is a strong female lead or not, they too learn gendered stereotypes (Coyne et al, 2016). Even if the intention of Disney movies isn’t to negatively impact children, it does.      These movies enforce gendered ideas and stereotypes, girls need to be complacent, if they want a happy ending, and boys need to be strong and silent. In several older Disney movies such as, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White is where it is especially noticeable. The princesses in both these films are quiet and reserved, both beautiful, but both considered damsels in distress. Aurora in Sleeping Beauty is portrayed as an innocent girl who pricks her finger and they only way she can be saved is from a prince, who is brave enough to fight off the dragon to save her. Similarly it is seen in Snow White, she is dotting to the seven dwarves she lives with, then is helplessly cast under a spell, and the only way she can be saved again is by a prince. This narrative is a lot more harmful as it suggests that girls only get a happy ending if a boy saves them, and that they are always a damsel requiring salvation. This narrative structure is referred to as the “Cinderella complex” found in one study (Coyne et al, 2016). It assumes that women depend on men for a happy ending. Girls are very vulnerable at a young age and can be easily influenced, and these gendered-stereotypes can be harmful to girls specifically. These movies unknowingly instruct the youth that watch it, to follow these gendered-type behaviours and it greatly impacts their development and how they perceive society and the roles they will play in it.

It has been proven in multiple studies that these animated movies portray their characters to have stereotypical gender roles (Coyne et al, 2016). For example, female characters are given traits like being physically weak, helpless, submissive, fearful, yet affectionate, and dotting. While male characters are typically physically strong, courageous, independent, and usually they occupy a silent leadership role. So the question is, have Disney movies become more progressive?

Although there has been limited research conducted on newer Disney movies, research has found that Disney movies have become a lot more progressive when it comes to gender stereotyped roles (Aley & Hahn, 2020). In recent Disney movies such as Frozen, Elsa is a powerful ice queen and she does not need to be married or have a prince to be powerful and successful. This is creating a better narrative for children, and not enforcing gendered stereotypical roles, where only a male would have those qualities in their animation movies. However, another content analyses found that there are still strong messages of traditional gender role stereotypes ( Aley & Hahn, 2020). The women in these Disney films tend to be sought out for because of their beauty, and this enforces the idea to young girls that if they are beautiful life will be perfect, and things will be given to you, like prince charming. The men in these film are still highly based around masculine traits, Disney movies have just made male characters more personable, and more attractive. They have not addressed nor changed the gendered-stereotypes present in their characters, nor have they taken into considerations its impact on the youth watching these movies. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion to my research it is very clear that Disney movies, though a very popular form of media that parents use to entertain their children, can be a lot more harmful than anticipated. Most parents would never suspect that the content that would be harmful for their children would ever come from a Disney movie, but it can and it does. Children as we have found observe the adults and peers around them and will mimic their behaviour to better understand their own identity. The same thing is applicable when it comes to Disney movies, they watch, learn and observe from these characters and what is portrayed from these characters is very important because it does play a significant part in a child’s gender identity. However, it is possible for Disney movies to alter their approach on how characters are portrayed, as noted there has been improvement with the newer movies created. For the young audience who watches these movies they can absorb a lot of information on how their gender should behave, and what is expected from them, this can lead to false assumptions about gender roles and expectations resulting in very harmful outcomes for the child’s development. It is proven that viewing harmful stereotypical media frequently can ultimately affect children’s self-worth, and roles in their relationships, and how they view themselves in society.  

References:

Aley, M., & Hahn, L. (2020). The powerful male hero: A content analysis of gender representation in posters for Children’s animated movies. Sex Roles, 83(7-8), 499-509.

Bogt, T. F. M. t., Engels, R. C. M. E., Bogers, S., & Kloosterman, M. (2010). “shake it baby, shake it”: Media preferences, sexual attitudes and gender stereotypes among adolescents.Sex Roles, 63(11-12), 844-859. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-010-9815-1

Coyne, S. M., Linder, J. R., Rasmussen, E. E., Nelson, D. A., & Birkbeck, V. (2016). Pretty as a princess: Longitudinal effects of engagement with disney princesses on gender stereotypes, body esteem, and prosocial behavior in children. Child Development.

Golden, J. C., & Jacoby, J. W. (2018). Playing princess: Preschool girls’ interpretations of gender stereotypes in disney princess media. Sex Roles, 79(5-6), 299-313

Hine, B., England, D., Lopreore, K., Horgan, E. S., & Hartwell, L. (2018). The rise of the androgynous princess: Examining representations of gender in prince and princess characters of disney movies released 2009–2016.