How Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" Addresses Sexism

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Beauty and the Beast is one of Disney's most iconic animated musicals. It was revolutionary for its time, receiving praise for its Broadway-style songs, memorable characters, and, of course, its inner beauty message. As screenwriter Linda Woolverton once said, "The lessons of Beauty and the Beast story are truly timeless: you can't judge a book by its cover, and beauty is only skin deep" (qtd. Fanning 77). However, there are serious undertones behind that seemingly simple message. 

Assumptions about Disney

Most of Disney's animated fairy-tale films are sanitized versions of their literary counterparts. However, Beauty and the Beast, besides the household object servants, is an exception; its themes of sexism and toxic masculinity are not present in the original story by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont.

Because Beauty and the Beast is a Disney movie, though, people might scorn when noticing its mature elements. However, others might find charm through its darkness. I believe it is essential to introduce kids to prevalent issues, including sexism, through fiction so they can grow up knowing predators are out there and, hence, prepare to fight. It improves rewatch value for adults as well. 

Besides, some of Disney's most memorable scenes are dark; think Bambi's mother's death. Such dark scenes are famous for their emotional impact on viewers. Beauty and the Beast partly became a hit because of its strong emotional impact, largely coming from dark moments, at the time of release. Hence, even with Disney's "sanitized" films, the assumptions that they are "lighthearted" is not fully accurate. 

The Beast's Punishment

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At the beginning of the film, an enchantress offers a rose to the young prince, who rejects it because of the woman's appearance. The enchantress then reminds the prince that "beauty is found within" and turns into the beautiful woman inside the ugly exterior. Since the prince disregards the enchantress's kind act and, instead, rejects her based on appearance, his core problem is his own sexist treatment of women. 

The enchantress turns the prince into a beast and sets the rose as a timer for his curse, which will break only when he learns to love a woman, and she learns to love him in return. Near the end of the rose's life, a woman in a nearby village faced mistreatment for her own appearance. 

Belle's Sexist Village

As Belle walks around the village reading a book, the townspeople mock her. Why? She prefers books to her provincial life. The villagers prefer handsome Gaston, even if he holds sexist ideas.

Gaston stops Belle on her way home to steal her book. He throws Belle's book in the mud and shames her intelligence, telling her that women shouldn't read or think. Since Gaston does all that without Belle's permission, he must really believe women shouldn't have opinions.

As Vera Sonja-Maas explains in The Cinderella Test, women have been silenced in many classic fairy tales due to patriarchal influences. In Charles Perrault's Cinderella, for example, Cinderella silently endures her abusive treatment from her stepfamily instead of speaking out against it. Gaston represents that patriarchal standard, attempting to silence Belle into serving and marrying him. 

Belle's only friend is her single inventor father, who promises a new life once his invention wins first prize. When her father leaves, Belle must've believed she will be safe at home instead of risk running into Gaston in the village. Yet, it turns out she is wrong. 

Home is Not Safe

Belle's father clearly has no understanding of how dangerous the village was; the next day, Gaston hosts a wedding next to Belle's house and shows up uninvited. He tells Belle about her dreams coming true (even though Belle already rejected him). Gaston also, multiple times, takes up her personal space and even rests his feet on Belle's table.

Such a scene would be romanticized during the 1950s; June Cleaver would most likely be okay with rubbing Ward's feet. However, Belle is clearly offended by Gaston's smelly feet as she holds her nose. Hence, Beauty and the Beast gives a gross portrayal of the "Leave it to Beaver" lifestyle, driven by masculine entitlement and offending women. 

Belle tries to be nice under the influence of Gaston's treatment of her, but she rejects the proposal and sends him flying out the door (the strongest thing a Disney princess did at that point). 

After doing so, Belle feeds the chickens and expresses her anger at Gaston in the stable. Putting on the handkerchief, Belle acts out the life she could've had if she married Gaston. Belle takes off her handkerchief to declare her disapproval of the lifestyle. 

Belle then leaves home and sings about her desire to be treated as more than an object, a human with desires beyond the home where she was just abused. The home has traditionally been viewed as a safe place for women, but Gaston's abuse of Belle proves otherwise; Belle needs a safe haven beyond her home and village. Little does she know she is about to get all she wanted.

Women are People

After Belle offers to take her father's place at the Beast's castle (her only escape from her sexist village), the Beast becomes envious of her beauty. Hence, he gives her a room and attempts to invite her to dinner a few times. Belle's refusals frustrate him, but the Beast does not realize it is his fault; he has objectified and attempted to abuse her. 

The Beast takes his first turn around when he saves Belle from the wolves. While Belle nurses him in return, she tells him to "control his temper." The Beast does so, allowing his attitude towards Belle  to change.

The Beast falls in love with Belle's generosity and gives her a library to respond to her love of reading. At this instant, Belle grows fond of the Beast because he treated her, not as a beautiful object, but as a person with desires and dreams. 

Castle of Freedom

After their ballroom dance, the Beast lets Belle go home to help her ailing father, even if it means never breaking his own curse. 

Belle stands up for the Beast (and for her father) in front of the villagers by proving his existence and calling him "my friend." Gaston threatens Belle with another marriage request, but, after being treated fairly by the Beast, she responded with a bold "Never!" She even told him, "He's no monster, Gaston. You are!" That's because Gaston never learned to treat Belle like a human; the Beast has.

Belle succeeds at saving her father, but they get locked in their basement. Once Chip rescues them, Belle returns to the castle to save the Beast from his fight with Gaston. Since Belle has fallen in love with the Beast, which has resulted from his improved treatment of her, the curse is broken.

Resolving or Promoting Sexism?

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Some critics have argued that Beauty and the Beast promotes sexism because Belle got a domestic life instead of "adventure in the great wide somewhere" (read more here). A common piece of evidence regards Belle having Stockholm Syndrome because she is initially the Beast's prisoner. However, Belle never condones the Beast's imprisonment; she does not even fall in love with him until the film's end.

Other critiques regard Belle trying to change the Beast, promoting an "I can fix my beloved" attitude among young girls. Such beliefs have prevented women from leaving toxic relationships. Belle does not try to change the Beast; she does not even interact with him until after he started to change. Yet, girls in their early childhood years (under six) probably cannot distinguish between changing others and changing oneself. Hence, it appears to them that Belle is changing the Beast.

The problem, then, lies with the viewers; they need to be at an age when they can separate fantasy and reality (around six or seven). An opposing couple becoming lovers in the same castle is not a situation that translates to real life. While recognizing the film as pure fantasy, viewers can easily take positive messages away from the film.

Regarding the adventure, whether Belle's dreams are fulfilled depends on the definition. If adventure regards worldly travel, then no. However, if we define adventure as non-ordinary, then yes; the castle gives Belle a more exciting (and fair) life than her village. Besides, Belle describes her favorite book in the opening song as having "far off places, sword fights, magic spells, a prince in disguise." Thanks to the Beast's change of heart towards women, Belle gets it all. 

Conclusion

After Belle faces abuse as an object of beauty, the Beast views Belle as a woman with a generous soul. Because of it, Belle leaves behind her provincial life for a more adventurous one, where she is treated, as she wanted, as a human with desires. As stated above, some might scorn sexism in a Disney movie; others even argue that the film promotes, rather than resolves, sexism. Yet, when kids are developmentally ready, they will understand the themes on a basic level. The themes only deepen for adults, making Beauty and the Beast one of Disney's most memorable and rewatchable animated films. 

Works Cited:

Fanning, Jim and Miller-Zarneke, Tracey. The Disney Book: A Celebration of the Worlds of Disney. Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2023, pg. 77.

Frozen II

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Walt Disney opposed sequels, but his company now embraces them; sequels came, one-by-one, on home video and eventually moved to theatres. 

Frozen II is one of the few theatrical sequels from Walt Disney Animation Studios, and it deserved to play in theatres; it nearly matches the original film's charm and thrills. Perhaps Elsa and Anna's character arcs are continuations from the original movie. After having controlled her powers, Elsa continues to struggle with them and, hence, feel out of place. Anna, no longer alone, clings to Elsa (and Olaf and Sven and Kristoff) as they enter the enchanted forest to save Arendelle. 

A common criticism for Frozen II is that Kristoff's subplot regarding proposing to Anna is unnecessary. I understand why, but Kristoff already fell in love with Anna at the end of the first Frozen; he follows her out of his fear of loss (as expressed in "Lost in the Woods," my favorite song from the film).

Other criticisms regard the plot making "no sense," but I think otherwise. Like the original Frozen, Frozen II has a clear three-act structure and characters with clear desires, fears, and misbeliefs. Besides, as previously mentioned, Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff's journeys serve as continuations from the first film. 

Frozen II's songs improved from those in the first film; they are more spaced out while the original film's songs clumped in the first two acts. The songs are also more reflective and philosophical, including "Older" (sung by Olaf about growing up) and "The Next Right Thing" (which Anna sings right before the climax, presenting a crucial mental health message for our age). 

I also enjoy the backstory regarding Elsa and Anna's parents (King Agnarr and Queen Iduna); their death from a shipwreck is further explained. Agnarr and Iduna went on the ship to discover the source of Elsa's powers, which Elsa herself visits while singing "Show Yourself." 

Frozen II also reveals Iduna to be of Northuldra ethnicity (based on the Sámi tribe in Finland); Agnarr married her after escaping war in the enchanted forest. Some people have noticed Iduna's lack of native looks; yet, she was assimilated into the civilized Arendellian culture through her clothing, only having her Northuldra scarf left. Iduna did not even tell Elsa and Anna about her heritage. 

If I can point out a problem with Frozen II, it would be the spiritism; yet, if viewed as fantasy, Christian viewers can look past it and focus on the positive messages.

For fans of the first Frozen, I recommend Frozen II; even if viewers aren't familiar with the first film, Olaf acts it out in the forest. 

Have you seen Frozen II? What do you think about it?

Frozen II can be streamed on Disney Plus. 

My Neighbor Totoro

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In the United States, Disney dominates the realm of fairytale/folktale movies. Studio Ghibli is Disney's Japanese equivalent as many of their films draw heavy inspiration from Japanese folklore. 

My Neighbor Totoro, released right before Disney's Renaissance, is an example. On the surface, it promotes spiritism through the benevolence of Totoro and other spirits. Animism is also present as the characters pray to nature. However, Christian viewers can simply watch this as a fantasy tale and even notice some positive family values. 

Sisters Satsuki and Mei are inseparable, so much that Mei even joins her older sister at school. Their relationship with each other, as well as with Totoro, the other forest spirits, and their family and friends, comprises the film's heart. Satsuki and Mei's adventures also give off nostalgia for older viewers who remember their own playful childhoods. 

As protagonists, Satsuki and Mei lack internal conflict. However, that doesn't hinder the film's enjoyment level; the character relationships, breathtaking animation, cute character designs (especially of the small spirits), and video game-inspired score make up for it. 

My Neighbor Totoro doesn't have much of a goal, either; the plot centers around the girls' adjustment to their new home and much of the tension arises from their mother's illness. Mei, despite being four years old, even runs off on her own a few times; one of these trips start the climax.

The movie's positive family values include sacrifice and kindness. For example, Satsuki and Mei wait in the rain for a long time for their father to arrive at the bus stop. Satsuki also attempts to find Mei when she gets lost. Finally, if Christian viewers look past the spiritism and animism, Totoro's kindness towards the girls is another trait to aspire to. 

Overall, My Neighbor Totoro makes for an enjoyable watch for fans of anime or those simply seeking something nostalgic and lighthearted. 

Have you seen My Neighbor Totoro?

The Lost Princess

Image source: Amazon. (2023). [The Lost Princess: Women Writers and the History of Classic Fairy Tales]. Retrieved September 3, 2024, from https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Princess-Writers-History-Classic/dp/1789147697/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&sr=1-5.

When one thinks of fairy tale writers, Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, and Hans Christian Andersen come to mind alongside, of course, Walt Disney. However, there were also several women writers from history who, along with their stories, have been forgotten over the past century. 

In The Lost Princess, Anne E. Duggan traces the history of women writers and the notion of "classic fairy tales." The first chapter describes the empowering variants of "Cinderella," including those written by women. The second chapter is about two variants of "Beauty and the Beast" and their legacy. Duggan's last two chapters describe maiden in the tower/cat tales and maiden warrior tales. 

Duggan mainly touches on tales by Marie-Catherine D'Aulnoy (1650-1705), including "Finette Cendron" (her version of "Cinderella"), "The Ram," "The Green Serpent," "The White Cat," and "Belle-Belle." She also brings up work by other forgotten female writers, such as "Persinette" (from which "Rapunzel" was adapted) by Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de la Force (1654-1724). Duggan describes ther' histories and adaptations, including British pantomimes (Disney movies' Victorian equivalent). 

While reading The Lost Princess, I wondered why D'Aulnoy's tales aren't popular anymore. Duggan describes how these tales had more empowered female protagonists than many of the stories Disney adapted. In an age when the demand for strong female role models for young girls is high, it's time we find a way to resurrect the tales of D'Aulnoy and other female writers. 

There are some illustrations from the fairy tales and adaptations Duggan discussed throughout the book. The middle of the book even has a few pages of colored illustrations. 

One problem I have with The Lost Princess is how it perceives Disney; Duggan leans into the stereotype that Disney princesses are merely damsels in distress waiting for princes, ignoring the progress Disney has already made in giving their female characters more agency. Duggan also wrote about "Rapunzel" without even mentioning Tangled (which portrays Rapunzel as an active character).

Duggan clearly wrote from a liberal feminist worldview; she considers a desire for romance or reliance on a husband as a limitation on agency, for example. Christians will find such information hard to read.

Despite this, anyone working at Disney needs to read The Lost Princess for insight into their notion of "classic fairy tales" and how they can change it. This book is also a must-read for fairy tale fans because it challenges many of our common assumptions about the fairy tale genre. 

Have you read The Lost Princess? What do you think about it?

The Little Mermaid (Disney Animated)

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Walt Disney originally wanted to make The Little Mermaid as part of a Hans Christian Andersen documentary. However, several decades after plans failed, two men created the iconic animated film. 

In many ways, The Little Mermaid was the prelude to modern Disney; it spotlighted the possibilities of an independent female protagonist, mature/universal messages that resonate with entire families, and a Broadway-style musical structure. How were these only possibilities? The opening song, Daughters of Triton, gives little information about Ariel, who does not even appear until almost six minutes into the film. Plus, even though Ariel starts out an active hero, she quickly attaches herself to a prince. 

Another thing about Ariel is that, unlike Snow White and Aurora before her, she displays accurate teenage behavior; for instance, she argues with her father and plucks a flower expressing her feelings for Prince Eric. Ariel, of course, makes a deal with Ursula the sea witch to trade her voice for legs so that she can be on land. That ends in disaster, of course, but Ariel still fulfills her questionable desires. 

Alongside the criticisms about Ariel and Eric's romance being "rushed," the happy ending looks like a step down for the fairy tale on paper. In Hans Christian Andersen's original version, the mermaid selflessly drops a knife to protect her ex-lover, turning into foam but gaining a soul. Even Walt Disney himself did not believe the mermaid should end up with the prince. I get it, as it hinders the vital messages of teenage love not always working out and, of course, selflessness. 

Ariel's questionable behavior limits her relatability, but there are still Christian values to learn from other characters. For instance, King Trition acts in Christlike behavior by taking Ariel's punishment for her; by the end of the story, he learns to let Ariel go (a valuable lesson for parents). Even Prince Eric's battle against Ursula calls back to the final defeat of Satan in the Bible. 

Of course, as many have observed, Ursula represents Satan; she promises to give mermaids all their desires only to turn them into shrimps. Ursula does everything to manipulate Ariel into trading her voice for legs, which is problematic considering she and Eric lack clear communication. Yet, Ariel still entertains Eric through lively expressions and actions. 

Ursula also takes Ariel's voice and disguises herself as a beautiful girl named Vanessa to prevent Ariel from marrying Eric. After Ariel crashes the wedding, Ursula had to be defeated to make things right. Since Ariel, not Vanessa, saved Eric at first anyway, Disney's happy ending is justified. 

The songs are catchy and mostly add to the story as they would in a proper Broadway musical (Les Poissons might be less necessary than the others, but it is still entertaining to watch Sebastian run away from Chef Louis). The haunting tone of Vanessa singing before her planned wedding is a highlight of the music. The Little Mermaid also has a well-orchestrated score, especially during the kingdom tour. 

Alongside the memorable music, the animation and color palette are two more highlights. Ariel's red hair creates a striking contrast against the blue ocean (alongside representing her boldness). The blue blue color of the ocean is also pleasant to look at. 

The music and visuals, alongside Ariel's boldness and King Triton's parenting lesson, make The Little Mermaid the prelude to the modern Broadway-inspired Disney style. Ariel did not make the best decisions, and better movies were definitely ahead, but Disney would not be where it is today without the possibilities brought in by The Little Mermaid. 

Have you seen The Little Mermaid? What do you think about it?

If you haven't seen it, the movie is available on Disney +.

You Are Your Own Fairy Tale

Image citation: Amazon. (n.d.). [you are your own fairy tale]. Retrieved August 23, 2024, from https://www.amazon.com/you-are-your-fairy-tale/dp/152488085X/ref=sr_1_1?sr=8-1. 

Poetry and folklore are different forms of literature with their own elements. However, that does not mean they can't be combined into one book; Amanda Lovelace does so in her three-collection trilogy, You Are Your Own Fairy Tale.

The first collection, Break Your Glass Slipper (clearly inspired by Cinderella) deals with body issues and escaping abuse. The second collection, Shine Your Icy Crown, is about feminist ideals. Finally, Unlock Your Storybook Heart is about living the life you want. There is an advice giver in each collection: the first one has a fairy godmother, the second a big sister, and the last simply has books. 

Accompanying the poems are beautiful part color but mostly ink illustrations. They don't appear on every page; instead, these are scattered throughout. Each collection also has a colored interval scene that appears a few times: the first is a starry sky, the second a forest, and the last a reading room. 

Lovelace addresses a lot of the criticisms of classic fairy tales using her all-lowercase writing style. For instance, one poem says that villains rarely look evil on the outside and another contrasts mere infatuation with true love. The poems also promote self-love, self-care, and other themes promoting life enjoyment.

However, You Are Your Own Fairy Tale clearly has a secular humanist/feminist worldview. Several poems suggest finding your identify by looking inside yourself while Christians do so by looking up towards God. There is additionally politically correct content Christians need to be aware of, especially those condoning witchcraft and sexual immorality. Finally, there are plenty of swear words. 

One more thing is that Lovelace lists trigger warnings at the beginning of each collection. Those who have recently suffered from abuse, an eating disorder, and other issues might find the trilogy hard to read.

Regardless, You Are Your Own Fairy Tale is an empowering, if not fully lighthearted, poetry collection with happily ever afters. I recommend it for all fairy tale fans (if they can get past the immorality and sensitive content). 

Have you read You Are Your Own Fairy Tale? What do you think about it?

If the Shoe Fits

Image citation: Amazon. (n.d.). [Meant To Be Series 3 Books Set - If the Shoe Fits, By the Book, Kiss the Girl]. Retrieved August 3, 2024, from https://www.amazon.com/Meant-Be-Books-Set-Shoe/dp/B0CXSKJMSL/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&sr=1-4.

The author of the bestselling YA novel Dumplin, Julie Murphy, has started a series of modern romances inspired by Disney princess films with the Cinderella-inspired If the Shoe Fits.

If the Shoe Fits has a lot of elements from the original animated Cinderella. For example, the main character's mother is Ilene Woods (the voice actor of Cinderella) and her stepmother's last name is Tremaine. Her stepsisters also have shortened versions of Anastasia and Drizella. She has three little siblings who represent the mice, too. Finally, the protagonist's name is Cindy (shortened from Cinderella). 

At the same time, Julie Murphy incorporates the body-positive theme from her previous novels; Cindy is a plus-sized woman who loves fashion. She has problems with the lack of sizes for her, but that does not prevent Cindy from following her dreams. 

Cindy moves from her dream life in New York back to her stepmother's house in California at the beginning of the novel. Before long, she stars in her stepmother's reality television show Before Midnight. Cindy starts out developing feelings for Henry (formerly "Prince Charming"), whom she met on the plane ride. However, the positive fan attention later changes fate (which she initially didn't believe in) for her. 

If the Shoe Fits is overall well-written; it clearly portrays Cindy's internal conflict regarding her dream career, family obligations, and (of course) body size. Her relationship with Henry is also much more developed than that between the animated Cinderella and Prince Charming.

Cindy and Henry's date in New York even involves a few Disney references beyond Cinderella. For example, they see a Disney Broadway production together. 

If the Shoe Fits mostly takes inspiration from the animated Cinderella, but it also has a few references to the 2015 live-action remake. For instance, Cindy loses her mother in elementary school and her father during her late adolescence. She also receives an empowering message from her late mother.

As well-done as If the Shoe Fits is, it has a lot of the problems I find with a lot of secular adult fiction. There were lots of swearing and using God's name in vain along with romantic individualism. Such content might make this novel a difficult read for Christians. Besides, even though I found the elimination aspect of Before Midnight interesting and I knew how Cindy felt, I only related to the secular story to a limited amount. 

Still, If the Shoe Fits is a modern fairy tale with a positive representation of a plus-sized woman. Fans of Disney's Cinderella and body-positive advocates will enjoy the novel. 

Have you read If the Shoe Fits? What do you think about it?