Moana and princess fairy tales- the unsaid messages

 

I grew up reading fairy tales and eventually as I got older I watched Disney movies with princesses waiting for their knight in shining armor to come. I didn't realize it at the time but I guess I was like most kids and didn't question or think critically about what I was watching. Disney princesses weren't a thing when I was growing up and since I am a mom to two boys, I escaped the world of fairy tale dresses and tiaras. By the time my son was born and I was watching Disney movies (on VHS tapes) I had already acquired quite a bit of media literacy and found myself interpreting everything I watched and read. I appreciated my professor, Leslie Bogard, when she said she grappled with enjoying herself at the happiest place on earth.  I also had mixed feelings and emotions about going to Disney with my family and about certain characters that are misrepresented and sexualized. I can relate to not wanting to support things that go against my values but also understanding that at times there is going to be that conflict and I need to acknowledge it and make a decision on how to react. At times I may give in but it is a conscious decision. I also made a conscious decision not to drive my family nuts and enjoy myself. I compare it to the way I feel when I need something from Amazon or Walmart. 

One of my most recent memories was listening to the lyrics of the Sound of Music as an adult. There was a song I used to sing along to all the time growing up as a teenager called sixteen going on seventeen and when I listen to that song as an adult I become furious that I didn't comprehend the messages in the song earlier. It didn't necessarily make me like my favorite movie any less but instead gave me a different perspective and different lens to look at it through. I find this often happens with songs that I don't like the lyrics to but I like the beat or the sound of the music. I think being aware of the discrete messages is what is important. 

A few years ago I had the honor of co-teaching a class at Salve Regina University where we worked with a group of students from UCAP, an alternative middle school in Providence where most of the students were academically challenged and had a below average reading score. We took them to the University weekly where they met up college students and together they reviewed and critiqued fairy tales. At the end of the program they made up their own fairy tale without all the gender stereotypes and violence. It was  great experience and really engaged the students in the readings. I think we need to do more programs like that. 

I agree with the idea of a secret education that is mentioned in the article Unlearning the Myths that bind us by Linda Christensen. There are many generalizations that are portrayed in the media and like her students it is hard for me to watch things without my critical consciousness and it makes it difficult for me not to see the racism, sexism, and violence in most media. I really liked how Christensen gave opportunity for her students to write about their thoughts and learn advocacy skills to raise awareness and promote change. This is a great way to process the experience of representation and injustice with students.  Many of the cartoons and shows mentioned in her article I did grow up with. I remember going and buying a Jessica Rabbit prom dress. She was overly sexualized and glamorous and she was a rabbit but that didn't matter to me- I wanted that dress. 

I watched Moana (again) with my 10 year old son who had also previously watched it and explained to him that I was doing a project for school and I was looking for gender stereotypes, sexist remarks, comments that showed power etc... he made sure to nudge me if I missed on and questioned what I as writing down if he thought he missed one. It was a great way to pay attention to the details in the story that we might have overlooked. This movie is still riddled with stereotypes and gendered opinions like not taking her serious because she is a girl. Although this Disney movie is not as bad as some of the others it still has a great deal of misrepresentation and cultural over representation. I was also surprised to read how Disney changed the movie from her going into the army. I was also surprised at how many pages of notes with examples I had at the end of the movie. 

In closing I think that it is important to process media with young people and take advantage of the teachable moments to discuss the messages observed and feelings that are brought up because of it. I think using media is a great tool to meet students where they are at. I find media to be common ground that students enjoy discussing so as an educator I take advantage of the opportunity to engage them in discussion.