There are tens upon tens of articles and journals around the WWW which discuss the sexist structures that comprise the plot of Disney feature lengths. I have decided to discuss the topic here based on my own experiences of Disney (instead of just reciting the opinions of others) and based on my recent visit to the cinema to see the Disney film (based on The Brother’s Grimm Rapunzel) the recently released Tangled.
Similar to every Disney movie prior to Tangled, it is the attractive ladies – in this case Rapunzel – who eventually wins the battle of good VS evil and once again, it is the unattractive individual (OAP Gothel) who is shown to be evil character. As is to be expected from Disney, the soon to be princess is unable to defeat the oppositional evil alone -she needs the aid of a strapping man.
In the case of this film that man is Flynn the thief whose job it is to protect her and ultimately free her, which he does buy cutting off her magical hair (something she would probably have done herself a long time ago if only she had the smarts!) If Flynn had not stumbled across her in her tower then she likely would have never found any independence, let alone the pseudo-independence she gains from leaving the tower hand in hand with this MAN.
Eventually, they get hitched, presumably take a number of honeymoon Caribbean holidays together and then settle down in a palace, leaving Rapunzel overwhelmed by her lot. What else could a Disney girl; expect for herself? A doctorate degree? Don’t make me laugh!!
The fact that the only other two female characters in the plot are the aging Gothel and Rapunzel’s real mother (who does speak) only extenuates the fact that the kingdom is a man’s world even further!
Regardless of the slightly questionable genderisation of female characters in Disney movies, I am still really excited to take Florida holidays in the future to experience the magic of Disney World! That’s what Orlando holidays were designed for!