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Message watch: The Little Mermaid

Published by Allison July 8th, 2006 in Feminism, Movies

In at least one anti-feminist post, I’ve read people posit that they “used to be feminist, but then [they] had kids.”

What.Ever.

Having a daughter has been an eye-opening experience about gender roles in our society. While I might have some left over baggage from the messages I’ve heard all my life, you’d better damned well know I will fight like crazy to ensure my daughter doesn’t hear the same. Maya has inspired me to learn more about (and embrace) feminism.

I’ve always loved Disney animated movies. My senior year in high school, I wrote an essay for English that looked at their place in movie culture and beginnings with Snow White. These days, however, I see them very differently as I look at the messages about gender roles that they may deliver to my toddler’s spongelike psyche.

We planned a 6-mile hike this morning, but the weather didn’t cooperate. It’s Saturday morning at the movies instead, and The Little Mermaid is on display. I’ve avoided picking up some of the older Disney “princess” movies, but it’s time to shelf this one too, as much as I’ve loved it. Here’s my take on the messages this movie imparts:

  1. A girl *needs* a guy to be complete.
  2. Girls are empty-headed and care about nothing more than catching the cute prince’s attention.
  3. Girls should throw away their talents in order to get the guy.
  4. If a woman is powerful, she is an evil bitch.
  5. If a woman is powerful, she is ugly and undesirable.
  6. The fat girl won’t get the guy. (song: Poor Unfortunate Souls)
  7. The scrawny guy won’t get the girl.
  8. Being thin (female) or muscular (male) and coupled up = happiness.
  9. Even when you’ve thrown your life down the toilet, it’s okay. Daddy will step in to save you. (Let’s not analyze this one too closely, shall we?)
  10. It’s okay to marry at 16, before you’ve even come close to developing a concept of self. After all, the (equally empty-headed) Prince will look after you.

Don’t even get me started on the concept of happily-ever-after. Life is real, and marriage is just the beginning of a new part of your life, not a happy ending. Anyone who thinks otherwise is begging for misery (and lots of marriage counseling and/or divorce) farther down the road.

I’m sure there’s more, but that’s what comes to me off the top of my head. This makes me very happy that Maya’s favorite movies are Toy Story 1 and 2. While they are significantly lacking in female characters, at least their entire story isn’t rooted in patriarchal bullshit.

The Little Mermaid is now officially shelved. Sigh.

6 Responses to “Message watch: The Little Mermaid”  

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  1. 1 Idodoodle Jul 8th, 2006 at 1:00 pm

    OR -

    1. With agility and ingenuity you can explore in shark-infested waters
    2. Don’t listen to anyone who says you have to give up what makes you you in exchange for acceptance
    3. Sometimes the strongest people in your life can’t fight and you have to take on life by yourself for a bit
    4. Guys dig chicks in shell bras
    5. Don’t watch Lion King because Pumbaa and Timon’s alternative lifestyle will make your kid a homo. Oh, wrong movie.

    Please please please don’t shelve it! If you reinforce the right messages I don’t think The Little Mermaid will mess her up.

    Geez Mon!

  2. 2 Idodoodle Jul 8th, 2006 at 1:03 pm

    And I’m more feminist now than I was before I had 2 girls. I just never thought about it before and now I can’t stop thinking about all the ways to prepare them for a culture that isn’t prepared for them.

  3. 3 Mermade Jul 8th, 2006 at 7:20 pm

    Hey Allison! You have a blog!! YAY! I’ll blogroll you right now!

  4. 4 Mermade Jul 8th, 2006 at 7:21 pm

    BTW- I am the BIGGEST Little Mermaid fan. I mean, I have the original poster and my room is a mermaid museum. And I’ve turned out fine (I think). :-)

  5. 5 Allison Jul 8th, 2006 at 7:49 pm

    I have the movie (still on VHS; I should buy the DVD!) and the CD of the soundtrack. I’m known to sing “Part of Your World” in the shower, although “Beauty and the Beast” surpassed LM as my favorite non-Pixar Disney flick. As a bonus BATB makes my feminist side feel warm and fuzzy — Belle makes me think of myself growing up in Po-dunk, Louisiana. It’s a pity and a sin. She doesn’t quite fit in.

    Okay, Laine and Sarah, you’ve convinced me: I’ll spare LM the axe — but when/if we watch it again, I’ll start thinking about life lessons we can discuss.

    Great. Now I have the intro song from “Belle” stuck in my head…

    Look, there she goes that girl is strange, but special. A most peculiar mademoiselle…

  6. 6 Larc Jul 10th, 2006 at 6:08 am

    Beauty and the Beast is a good one, she READS!! And it says beauty is inside. Actually, Coral’s new fave is High School Musical, which actually has good messages (and some really fun songs!). I’m actually waiting for the new edition of LM to come out in October, I figure C loves Nemo, she’ll really like LM!!

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