Talking Points #4

We are all taught the typical stereotypes set out to us as children. Whether we viewed them in Disney movies, picture books, and/or in reality, these stereotypes of race, sex, orientation, and background continue to haunt us as we attempt to rid them of our lives. For one, Christensen has a good point at discussing how many stereotypes we are taught without even realizing it. As children we watch endless cartoons, animated films and TV shows depicting stereotypes in a blunt form. Everything from Disney princesses to classic cartoons depicts the stereotypes we try so hard to subdue.
#1: "Look Ursula the sea witch is ugly and smart. Hey, she's kind of dark looking."
While it is a common topic of conspiracy that Walt Disney himself was a stereotypical man, evidence like this proves the point of controversy in total. For one, a trip in late 2008 to Disney gave me an experience like I had never seen before. A family friend of ours brought us behind the scenes of an MGM imagining studio where a small "museum" displays the work of some of Disney's infamous characters. Ursula, being one of them, was FAR OFF from the original character she is described as (and far from what she was originally drawn as in earlier works). Her voice-over, body form, and personality (entirely) shadows that of an "average stereotypical" middle aged African American woman.

#2: "Happiness means getting a man, and transforming from wretched conditions can be achieved by consumption--- in their case, through new clothes and a new hairstyle."
This quote, especially, is extremely important. Young women allover the country search endlessly for their "dream man". Sadly enough, millions of them loose their individuality just to fit in so that they can find their "man". To the average young girl who adores watching her favorite Disney Fairy Tale, fixing your hair and getting some flashy clothes will fix nearly EVERYTHING. NO! This rather creates a big problem. Not only does it seem as though films are trying to work with the clothing industry of America, but it also gives out a false sense of security for girls around the nation. While girls and women alike look to their childhood fairy tales as a sense of comfort in "one day finding Mr. Right", the process gone through to achieve this is extremely ridiculous.

#3: "Because we can never look like Cinderella, we begin to hate ourselves". Whether we are men or women, we all do this. We sit there and pity ourselves for not resembling "over-the-top perfect" cartoon characters. They are Cartoon characters!!!!!!!!!! No real woman's complexion is that perfect. No real woman has a perfectly shaped body with a spotless waistline and perfect balance and posture. It just isn't happening, and overall will never happen. These truly fake and hope-crushing images have fooled millions. As depressing as it sounds, its true: we begin to hate ourselves as if we are solely responsible for not resembling an "imperfectly perfect" cartoon character.