Disney: A positive or negative influence?

Have you ever caught yourself humming Disney songs or using quotes from cartoons in your daily life? If your answer is yes, then you are a part of the many generations whose lives were changed by Disney, by introducing them to a magical world where everything is possible. However, as teenagers, we have all been confronted with a completely different world; and now we ask ourselves: Could have Disney influenced the way we think negatively?

Since 1937, Disney became the timeless universe, where entire generations found themselves and grown up. Starting with “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, many girls were introduced to a world full of princesses and the boys to one of heroes; a perfect world, but one where stereotypes developed without our knowledge, and maybe they even contributed to some of the problems we still deal with today, after 84 years. Many researchers split the Disney movies into two eras: the era of the princesses that had to take care of the house, that were well mannered, that waited for the prince’s rescue, and more recently, the era of independent women, who make their own way into the society and fight for it.

From an early age, children took on the personality of their favorite characters. This way, they formed clear and inflexible images of each gender’s role in the society; they formed patterns and felt the need to fit in within them. Women have the duty to care for the house and for the family, and men have, without a doubt, the spirit of adventure and the most important role in the everyday world. Even the famous movie “Cinderella” portrays the obedient woman, whose only escape depends on the prince’s ability to find her. The problem, however, is broader than a simple movie that creates a pattern, but the fact is that all classic Disney movies strictly follow the same outdated and harmful models for today's society.

However, recently, with the social changes in the world and the focus on women's rights, on racism, Disney has completely changed its storyline. From girls waiting to be saved to those who save. Thus, they created heroines who not only have an important role in society but are even the key to saving male characters. Starting with Pocahontas (1995) and continuing with Mulan (1998), Tiana (2010) and Moana (2016), Disney has broadened its horizons, creating films with more culturally diverse characters. By integrating several nationalities, cultures and stories into this magical universe, the corporation made a statement that society needed: it’s good to be different and you have to believe in your voice.

Unfortunately, another negative aspect which is not addressed enough is the influence of the representation of princesses on the self-esteem of children and, especially, of young girls who idolize these characters. From Snow White (1937) to Raya from the most recent Disney movie (2021), each one presented unrealistic standards; perfect bodies, tiny waists and flawless skin. This has not only affected us all but, without realizing it, it started dictating how we should look. The concept of “perfection” underlies some of the biggest social problems: in the fashion industry, in marketing and psychology.

On the other hand, the messages these movies and cartoons really send are what made us love them from the very beginning. In Zootopia (2016), the message promoted is to accept each other as we are, and moral values ​​such as friendship, sincerity and altruism are not lacking in any movie, children learning from an early age to help each other, to fight for beliefs , their passions and dreams. Not to mention the impressive hidden meanings, from which we can learn all our lives, which are the basis of these animations. From the death of a family member to the pursuit of dreams, Disney has touched them all in terms of characters and stories.

Although there is still much work to be done on the values ​​promoted in movies and in society in general today, Disney movies will continue to fascinate children around the world. We still want to see the improvements in the stories, the characters and their diversification, but in the new generation of Disney movies we can clearly see that society has influenced the stories for the better. And, in the end, "we just need faith, trust, and a little pixie dust" (Peter Pan).

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editorial: Sofia Ene

Arianne Paraschiv

graphic design: Ioana Butaru

translation: Sofia Ene

Arianne Paraschiv

DP (desktop publishing): Ioana Butaru