If the Glass Slipper fits: A walk down the history of feminist movements and animated films
Written by The Women Of Cinema, a digital knowledge creator on Instagram who studies Indian films—from creation to consumption—with a gender lens. Through their juxtaposition of global academic research with Indian cinema they aim to empower womxn and queer folk with knowledge to assert their representation on screen.
Additional Research and Probably Relevant Side-notes contributed by Sanjana Arun aka ashberry.
Probably Relevant Spoiler Alert:
This article dives into the plot, characters and conflict of several animated movies released in the recent past, so proceed with caution.
Image Source: NewsweekMovies leave a significant impact on people's beliefs, opinions, stereotypes and attitudes. If movies hold the power to change attitudes towards certain groups of people and cause newly formed opinions on various issues in adult minds—less needs to be told about the lasting impression they'll leave on young, gullible minds.
Studies show children adapt and develop ideas about sexuality by the age of 2.
Even though they would have not constructed a consistent view of their own gender, they can divide the world in binary—through the learned stereotypical labels of women and men.
Though, over the years, animation feature films have evolved from a girl awakened by a non-consensual - kiss of “true love” to - cannonically queer lead characters—it is vital to read the stories of big studio films through a gender lens to understand how they subconsciously leave an impact on young minds.
Female Attached To Male
The first wave of feminism ended with women getting the right to vote after years of struggle in 1920. With the release and unprecedented popularity of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs made in 1937—the story of Snow White as a woman efficient in each household chore while the dwarfs went out to work—presented the concurrent social culture and fashion written by adults.
Timeline of the feminist movement by Leavy and Harris, 2018 (Image Source: Ova-looking feminist theory on Researchgate.net). To gain a clearer understanding of the four waves of feminism, check out this article by Margie Delao for The Humanist.The subsequent success of Cinderella (1950) and Sleeping Beauty (1959) made 'princess movies' an integral part of how animated children's feature-length movies were written. Most of the females in early animation were portrayed as falling in love with a prince or being inseparable from their family bonds. This representation of a woman who needs a prince to save the day and traditional standards and stereotypes for what is to be a “good woman” reflects societal expectations of that time.
A photo of a 1958 Call Magazine article “129 ways to get a husband” posted by Facebook User Kim Marx-Kuczynski In late 1960s, America saw the second wave of the feminist movement. The feminists of the second-wave movement called for equal rights for women, including equality in education and work. These morals were reflected in Little Mermaid (1989). Princess Ariel broke away from female convention images as someone independent, yearning for a free life with a rebellious nature and most importantly, a feminine spirit. She is brave enough to express herself and go after what she wants rather than passively accepting fate and waiting for help.
Probably Relevant Side Note: Costuming characters in animation films is a critical undertaking. To see the many historical influences and references on the costume design of The Little Mermaid, have a look at this compilation by Kendra, an academic and librarian who specializes in history and fashion.
The film's ending of “the prince and the princess live happily ever after”, to some extent, reflected the social situation of the time when the meaning of the feminist movement was still being questioned and opposed, and feminists were at a loss. But there is no denying that the second wave of the feminist movement still had a huge impact on changing the status and consciousness of women. Since then, the females in animation have all shown their different energies and characteristics, and are no longer completely passive and perfect like the three princesses during the first wave of the feminist movement.
The Pursuit Of Self-Worth
When "postcolonial feminism" found its way into discussions, the American feminist movement entered its 3rd wave in the 1990s. During that period, the term “feminist” became more inclusive—intersectional— focusing on the diversity and individuality of women, believing that women were different in many ways, including race, class, sexual orientation, body image, etc.
Pocahontas (1995) was one of the first princesses with a stout and athletic figure as opposed to the previously conditioned lean and delicate figure. She is also the first princess to give up love for her ideals. At the end of the film, Pocahontas’ lover is injured and needs to travel to London for treatment. When her lover asks her to come along, Pocahontas refuses and stays with her tribe. Love was no longer the only pursuit for women illustrated the impact of social movements on women’s values at the time.
Then came the first-ever Chinese princess Mulan (1998). Hua Mulan resisted ancient China’s traditional norms and constraints, where women were strictly required to be demure and were resistant to marriage. She rejected the notion that women had to marry well and stay at home to run the household and chose to join the army in her father’s stead.
In this video titled “EVERYTHING CULTURALLY RIGHT AND WRONG WITH MULAN 1998”, Chinese-born Canadian author, Internet personality, and cosplayer Xiran Jay Zhao provides in-depth yet lighthearted commentary about the historical accuracy of Mulan (1998)
The 21st-century feminist era saw a rise in films where women no longer valued gaining male approval and pursued the realisation of their self-worth. The stories slowly abandoned the subject of love. In Lilo & Stitch (2002), it's Lilo's unconventional feminist power that makes her a model for future female Disney characters like Merida from Brave, Moana from Moana, and Riley from Disney/Pixar's Inside Out. Lilo helped break the mould for what a young feminist could look like, and she reshaped it in her own image.
“Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten” - Lilo & Stitch (2002)
The journey of this film focuses on the relationship between little girl Lilo and Stitch, an extraterrestrial entity bringing the conversation always back to the concepts of family.
In The Princess and the Frog (2009) and Tangled (2010)—both Tiana and Rapunzel grow up with a clear goal. Love is only a chance event for them, and the appearance of a male protagonist is only an accident. Marriage and family are no longer the only things for them. By the end of the story, the women have achieved what they have dreamed. Tiana earns enough money to buy the restaurant and start the business she loves; Rapunzel sees the landscape she has been waiting for through her adventures. This is a natural consequence of social progress and the feminist movement.
Merida from Brave (2012) was completely free of love as a plot point. She firmly opposed her parents’ arrangement of tribal marriage and pursued celibacy. Her only desire is to enjoy her own life. Frozen (2013) is by far the highest-grossing animated film of all time. With Elsa and Anna, the story revolves around the sisterhood; men play secondary roles. When Elsa's father asks her to hide her powers, she initially complies, which demonstrates the most representative of traditional patriarchal society. However, things don’t get any better, as the deliberate hiding of her energy doesn’t really conceal it. Elsa eventually chooses to leave the castle and unleash herself in the uninhabited mountains, breaking the authority of male discourse. Moana (2016) is a powerful film on leadership. This young girl crosses the ocean that all men in her family feared with the love & trust of her mother and her grandmother's spirit. The words 'marriage' or 'romance' are never mentioned.
Frozen (2013), Brave (2012) and Moana (2016) completely rewrote the way relationships between women are portrayed.
These films focus on the deep relationships between 2 women instead of placing an older woman as the antagonist in the story
Steps Towards the Right Direction
Since the rise of new feminist wave, despite a few roadblocks and excuses to largely feature default cis-male characters, animation films are moving towards the right side of history.
Zootopia (2016) is about a female bunny entering a male-dominated profession. The Breadwinner (2017) indulges in the sensitive representation of a young Afghan girl named Parvana. Parvana is a multidimensional character who is frustrated with her place in society, displeased with her family, and persistent yet also full of dreams, curiosity, bravery and love.
Probably Relevant Fun Fact: Deborah Ellis is a writer, feminist and peace activist who wrote the wildly popular “The Breadwinner”. Her work centers around the struggles and suffering endured by children in third world countries, as a result of war, authoritarian and/or fascist governments, drugs and so on.
The Mitchells vs. The Machines (2021) centres on a queer hero—Katie and it's not the only characteristic that makes her noteworthy. She’s totally herself, wildly creative, a great big sister, hilarious, queer, and excited to dive into her passions. Encanto (2021) and Turning Red (2022) take a few leaps and talk about intergenerational trauma and the path to healing with kids. With Meilin turning into a red panda, Turning Red also unapologetically addresses periods in mainstream children's films. Though from different worlds Mirabel and Meilin are similar in their bravery, enthusiasm and determination to challenge generational dysfunction. They're both fearless in the pursuit of their plans, even if it is against their families. By choosing to stand up for themselves, these girls have shown children everywhere that it is okay to make choices that may not please everyone.
There is no denying that cinema is a projection of society but it also creates social images. Children need to see themselves on the screen to feel included and for that to happen representation needs to be inclusive—in all ways.