Torn Between Two Disneys

Any critical discussion of Disney is sure to bring about heated opinions. Having discussed the characteristics of many different Disney films before in a Social Inequality Class as well as our Pop Culture class, I am torn in my feelings about Disney. I was shocked to learn of all the different occurrences of racism and sexism in Disney films. However, like many other people, I look at my favorite Disney films with a nostalgia that leads me to want to disregard any bad things said about them, remembering only the laughter and songs from my childhood.

As a child, I was never conscious of any inappropriate messages being communicated by Disney, but I cannot help but wonder if they still subconsciously affected my opinions and actions. This concern is only reinforced when watching the documentary we discussed today in class called Mickey Mouse Monopoly. It includes interviews with children about Disney films and characters. Their answers are innocent but contain scary ideas about what these films are teaching children. For example, as we discussed in class, one little girl discusses Beauty and the Beast, saying that even if someone is mean to you, if you are nice to them they will change and start being nice to you. This may seem harmless to some people, but when applied to a child's future relationships, this thought process could be extremely dangerous. Another little girl, around 5 or 6 years old, talks about how it is really important to be beautiful because if you are beautiful, everyone will like you. The idea that a little girl is concerned with physical appearance at such a young age is sad to me.

Despite these concerns, I have no doubt that I would allow my own children to watch Disney films. I feel this way because I think that no matter what a child is watching, it is up to the parents to educate their kids about what is right and wrong. Also, the messages Disney is being criticized for portraying are present in almost every other form of media reaching children today, making it more and more impossible to shield children from negative messages.