Ever since I was little, I lived for storytime.
Whether done through voice, animated cartoon, or something I created inside my own mind, the process of crafting a story and giving someone an experience in some made believes realm where everything can happen and happy ever afters are just over the horizon. And if anyone was good at peddling an idyllic make-believe world for children and adults alike, it’s Disney.
Disney got ahead of literally everyone else when they animated almost every fairytale and princess story imaginable, and then they went on to create their own. Up until Tiana, and Merida, many of these stories - in one form or another - already existed. But once the 2010s began, I noticed a shift in Disney’s film factory. Tiana was a surprise as she was the first African American princess as well as being the most modern of the Disney film princesses. Merida was a shock when the movie “Brave” came out in 2012 because it was the first film without any romantic story plot. This film was centered around a princess and her family, not a princess and a man. However, that film did not cause as much controversy in my community as a story about two sisters bonded by a family secret did.
The Film
Released in 2013, “Frozen” became Disney’s 53rd animated feature film loosely based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale “The Snow Queen.” Though this story uses the theme of “true love” the more important bond that the film promotes is the love between sisters. The film follows Anna and Elsa’s story as Anna learns that Elsa possesses magical snow powers that their parents compelled Anna to forget and the difficulty Elsa has controlled them and how they work together against those who would try to destroy her. Though this is a short synopsis, the thing that stood out to me in this film wasn’t the scenery. It was how the Disney writers and composers brought to life a story of female empowerment through a medium that the world was so used to seeing where a woman’s only role was to be rescued by a man.
Though Disney has managed to give the women it portrays a level of free will and free thinking that many other programs did not, this film transcended the others. In this film, love was not instantaneous, but it almost took too long to realize between Kristoff and Anna, and Elsa not only saved the day but saved her sister in the process. Because who is to say that true love is exclusive to mean romantic love?
The Broadway Show
Opened on Broadway after a short trial run in Denver in late February, Disney brought yet another of its animated films to the Great White Way. And though I could not be any more excited, the amount of online backlash I saw was shocking. From complaints about costume design to edits and additions to the song list, the Internet trolls were easily smoked out. Though the plot has, on the whole, remained the same, as this is a live production some edits and additions were necessary in order to prevent plot confusion and to keep the production from stalling at any point with dead air or unnecessary cutaways.
One of the weirdest critiques I came across was that the musical was pushing a feminist agenda and that it was no longer suitable for children. Naturally, this only made me want to see the show more. As an experienced Broadway and musical goer, I made my way to the St. James Theater in NYC and saw one of the best productions ever to grace a stage.
Afterward, I went back once again over comments I had found. Though I will not negate the fact that this musical is about female empowerment and that being a strong woman doesn’t negate your femininity, I struggle still to figure out what about this musical is “feminist pushing” in the negative connotation it is used in. The worst critique in my opinion - in regards to the claims of it being feminist - is the change in Elsa’s attire towards the end of the show.
The costume reveal for the dress during “Let it Go” was magical and immaculate; however, towards the end of the play when Elsa is fighting Hans she is decked out in her cape and sparkles, but no skirt. That’s right, a female character in a princess story is wearing PANTS!
A comment that has since been taken down accused Disney of pushing an LGBT storyline (because if a woman wears pants she must not be interested in men) and confusing little girls about how they are supposed to act and dress. This comment made me angry for several reasons. First of all being that in the current climate we live in where we are so divided on issues like this, I found it to be inflammatory and not helping the side they stand on. This comment made the woman sound backward in thought and only made an inflamed situation worse based on the comments she received - resulting in her ultimate deletion of the post.
Why It’s So Important
In recent years, brands like Disney and Barbie have been rapidly working to change the narrative that women only have a few options as to what they can be when they grow up. Though people like that woman see this move as bending the knee to liberal ideals, I don’t believe that is the case.
Yes, both companies rely on sales and a positive image to promote their brand and stay in the public’s favor; however, both companies have yet to stray from their original ideas and motivations even with this “move to female empowerment.” Disney and Mattel need to stay in the favor of both sides of the spectrum in order to stay in the public’s overall good graces, so why would they choose one side over the other?
Whether or not you believe that these companies are pushing an agenda, this film and Broadway show prove one thing: women are now being given positive, strong, role models for every age. This does not make women more masculine or less feminine; it simply provides strong, independent, smart, athletic, clever, and so many more adjectives characters who give children the ability to explore every possibility for the future. We should not look at this as a negative change, but a positive one. This is not saying that women can do everything men can, it is saying that anyone can do anything regardless of gender, station, or roadblock they cannot control.
So give the children the world; let them set the boundaries for what they can become. Because they are the future, and only they can control where we go, who we will become and what is important.
