This dissertation will examine the hypothesis that, with few exceptions, the representation of Gender and Race in Disney princess films from 1937 to 2012 is primarily white and heteronormative, depicting worlds in which the ideal woman is pretty, white and demure, showing just enough agency and feistiness to make herself stand out when choosing romantic partners.
Drawing on the writing of Judith Butler, gender is not predetermined by sex, but instead is dictated by the gendered acts of people themselves. No universal gender exists, according to Butler; there is always a way to reinterpret and reassign behaviors to the masculine or feminine, and both biological men and women can exhibit male and female traits and identities. The assumption that there is an inherent identity of women as "female," according to Butler, is erroneous, and it does not need to be represented at all. No one can "be" a specific gender; it all lies upon a certain spectrum, and that spectrum lies at the heart of Butler's theories on feminism. Often, women are commoditized as sexual objects, as the male identity that is typically assumed creates an absence that can only be filled by women (Butler, p. 146).
Methodology
I will be drawing on feminist scholarship, such as Butler, England and Orenstein, and black scholars such as Towbin et al., to examine theories of gaze, traditional gender roles and racial stereotyping in these films.
Time Management
My research topic is defined and a preliminary search for academic journals and writing has commenced. I plan to collect at least a dozen other sources for academic perusal, as well as narrow down which specific Disney films to focus on as a barometer of the genre’s history with gendered representation.
References
Butler, J. (1990). Gender Trouble. Routledge.
England, D. E., Descartes, L., & Collier-Meek, M. A. (2011). Gender role portrayal and the
Disney Princesses. Sex roles, 64(7-8), 555-567.
Hercules. (1997). Dir. Ron Clements, John Musker. Perf. Tate Donovan, James Woods. Walt
Disney Pictures, 1997. Film.
Orenstein, P. (2006). What’s Wrong With Cinderella?. The New York Times Magazine, 24.
Pocahontas. (1995). Dir. Mike Gabriel, Eric Goldberg. Perf. Irene Bedard, Mel Gibson. Walt
Disney Pictures, 1995. Film.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. (1937). Dir. David Hand. Perf. Adriana Caselotti. Walt
Disney Pictures, 1937. Film.
Towbin, M. A., Haddock, S. A., Zimmerman, T. S., Lund, L. K., & Tanner, L. R. (2004). Images
of Gender, Race, Age, and Sexual Orientation in Disney Feature-Length Animated Films. Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, 15(4), 19-44.
