7 PROBLEMATIC LESSONS

DISNEY MOVIES TEACH BOYS

ABOUT MASCULINITY
By Alex Kritselis @handsupalex 13 days ago

When we talk about Disney films as adults, the conversation tends to center
around how these films affect young women and not without reason.
The ridiculously proportioned princesses have contributed to our societal
standards of beauty, and gendered tropes have set up impossible
expectations for generations of women. But we dont spend nearly as much
time discussing how these fairy tales affect young boys growing up. Make
no mistake, Disney movies have plenty to teach young men about
masculinity, and not all of the lessons are good. In fact, some of them are
downright wrong.
I loved watching Disney movies as a child. Full of catchy songs and

colorful characters, the films were just long enough to keep me out of my
moms hair for a while, but short enough to hold my attention.
Generally speaking, I think Disney films are a lot of fun. But their
unrealistic, overly simplistic, largely heterosexist worldview has the
potential to shape young minds in a lot of negative ways. I didnt realize it at
the time, but I was learning a lot from Disney about how men and women
relate to one another, how love works, and most importantly, what it means
to be a man. Here are some of the problematic lessons I learned.

ALL MEN ARE ATTRACTED TO

WOMEN
I was aware of my attraction to men from a pretty young age, though I
would not come out as gay until my late teenage years. I didnt see any
positive, realistic gay relationships in the movies I watched growing up. It
was confusing. At times, I felt very alone. Where are the boys who like
other boys? I thought. I cant be the only one. But that is exactly the
message young gay men (and women) have received from Disney for years.
To date, Disney has yet to put a gay relationship front and center in one of
their films (though there may be a sly nod to a gay couple in last years
Frozen). Sadly, most Disney films are built upon a solid heterosexist
foundation boys chase girls and vice versa, case closed. In Disneys
world, there is little room for variation. And when there is, well, the
characters arent exactly cast in a positive light.
Case in point: Kuzco, the emperor from The Emperors New Groove. Kuzco
is single and has no interest in finding a woman to share his life
with. Consequently, he is portrayed as a selfish, self-absorbed terror who
thinks that the world revolves around him (as evidenced by the films
opening song, Perfect World). The movies message is clear: a good
emperor (or prince, for that matter) would be itchin to get with a woman.

ALL MEN WANT TO GET

MARRIED
Just as gay men dont really seem to exist in Disneys world, men who dont
want to get married dont really seem to exist either.
Most Disney films end with the triumphant marriage of the hero and the
heroine. Heck, Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid is so desperate to get
married, he agrees to marry a sexy Ursula-in-disguise within just a matter of
days.
Anybody who isnt married in Disney movies ranges from selfish brat (the
aforementioned Kuzco) to evil mastermind (the spindly Jafar from
Aladdin). Disney teaches us that theres usually something wrong with
single men. Theyre either jerks, or not to be trusted.

TRUE LOVE WILL FIND YOU

Ah, love at first sight. We all know that it doesnt really work that way in
real life, right? Right. But as a little kid, I had no idea.
Thanks to Disney, instantaneous love seemed like a fairly reasonable thing
to me. Thats just what adults do, I thought. One day, Id be strolling
through the supermarket when Id spy a beautiful princess with large,
expressive eyes and a slammin body from across the aisle and BAM! By
next week, wed be husband and wife! Prince Charming falling for
Cinderella the very first moment he lays eyes on her at the ball? Totally
plausible! I mean, did you SEE those puffy sleeves?
And dont worry guys shell probably show up at your house, so no need
to put any working into finding her.

MEN NEED TO RESCUE WOMEN

As the singing, dancing men of the Chinese army tell us in Mulan: What do
we want? A girl worth fighting for!
Disney movies are chock full of damsels in distress: Snow White and
Princess Aurora are both stuck in comas, awaiting true loves kiss; and
Meg from Hercules needs the superhuman Herc to rescue her from Hades
evil grasp. Disney teaches young men that women are powerless to
overcome the obstacles in their lives, and that they need to be saved.
Growing up, I was pretty sure that I wasnt interested in saving girls I
spent enough time fighting with my older sister to know that girls were the
pits. (Dont worry, Ive since revised my position.) But the damsel in
distress character is so ever-present in Disney movies, its bound to give
some boys the wrong idea.

GOOD MEN ARE BUFF.

ANYTHING ELSE IS JUST
LAUGHABLEOR EVIL
You wont find much variety when it comes to body types in Disney movies
all of Disneys heroes are exquisitely handsome physical specimens with
bulging biceps and chiseled abs that would make Mike The Situation
Sorrentino green with envy. Just look at Hercules, Prince Eric, or even John
Smith!
Most supporting male characters in Disney movies, however, fall into two
distinct categories: those who are built like roly polies, designed to make us
laugh (usually at them), or tall, pointy villains who were supposed to
despise.

For the clowns, look no further than Lefou, Gastons shrimpy sidekick from
Beauty & The Beast. Theres also Chien-Po, the overweight Chinese soldier
who is incapable of thinking about anything other than food from Mulan.
As far as evil villains go, theres bony sorcerer Jafar from Aladdin and the
lanky, angular Doctor Facilier from The Princess and the Frog. According
to Disney, good men are all incredibly handsome and strong. Anything else
you just dont want to mess with.

FATHERS ARE SCARY. (OR

HARMLESS, IF THEYRE FAT.)
Disney has always kind of had it out for moms and dads (the shipwreck that
kills both parents in Frozen is just further proof), but when a father figure is
present in their stories, he has a tendency to be well, a controlling ogre.
Take King Triton, Ariels father from The Little Mermaid. King Triton is
one scary dude. His towering physique! His booming voice! His flowing
white beard! He is a buff, domineering Santa merman. Hes also
emotionally abusive.
Yeah, thanks dad. Its almost as if Disney is trying to give kids an anti-dad
complex. If dads arent downright terrifying, then they are short, stout guys
who need to be rescued like Belles dad, or the sultan in Aladdin.

WOMEN WILL LOVE YOU EVEN

IF YOURE AN ABUSIVE ASSHOLE
The Beast from Beauty & The Beast has had a rough go of it. I get it
dudes been dealt a tough hand. But when the Beasts first real chance to
find true love presents itself (a gentle, kind Belle), he spends half the movie

treating her like dirt!

Belle is the Beasts prisoner. He is constantly screaming at her. He denies
her food until she agrees to dine with him! Still, this human woman
is drawn to the slobbering, oversized beast. The Beast doesnt show any real
affection toward Belle until the movie is practically over, but dont worry,
he still gets the girl.

While Frozen has been called the most progressive Disney movie
ever, theres still a lot of work to be done. Can we please, please see a
prominent gay relationship in a Disney film? For once, can heterosexuality
not be assumed? Can we have an effeminate male character who is not the
butt of every joke? Those are the kinds of movies that I wish I had growing
up. Maybe I wouldve felt less alone.
Not to mention, real, complex, and emotional men are so much more
dashing.