Gender in animation is very contraversial, in two ways. In the technical sense and in the actual aesthetic sense in how they are portrayed. In the technical aspect, it is said that there are less female animators than men, and when researching into it, I came across this:
When I first read it, I was actually kind of upset, because it comes from Walt Disney, the Walt Disney who made animation so popular. But at the same time you have to remember he is just one person and therefore it is just one persons opinion and there are many female animators who are becoming extremely successful, so it is really relevant for this day and age.
But it isn't just this technical sense where women are inferior. It is also in gender roles. Now I will admit that gender roles are changing, and even in some cases men are being exploited, however over the years it is women who have been the sidekick or the 'damsel in distress' which has been extremely visible in animation. In fact, it is what they are known for.
Take Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs for example:
She is the ultimate damsel in distress, and can only be saved by Prince Charming. Plus her only redeeming quality is in her name, 'beauty'. This then makes people think about objectification and only seeing women face on, which is a highly touchy subject in feminist movements. But you also have to remember the time in which this film was produced, the late 1920's. If there are only female movements being taken seriously now, in 2014... then you can imagine that it was the norm to be portrayed this way almost 100 years ago. But it is rather helpful that there are films such as this where we can take a step back and notice these changes and notice how female roles have changed.
Looking at another Disney film, Brave:
In 'Brave', there is no prince charming that she wants to save her. In fact she gets a choice out of three suitors and she doesn't even want one of them. Merida is also not Disney's conventional princess. Though she is of high social status, as she is actually a princess, she is a tom boy and likes to shoot arrows. She has character and personality and is really easy to connect with. I think she is a great role model for little girls, and sends out the right message to them. And it shows how Disney have gone from 'damsel in distress' to 'hero of her own film'... even though it took about 100 years, literally.
Overall, I think gender roles are very important in contemporary and historical animation because they are literally the focus of the animations. They are what the plot centres around and dictate whether or not the audience should align with them. I think gender roles have changed quite a bit and this is a great thing, and hopefully will effect young girls in a more positive way instead of their life goal being to find 'Prince Charming'. If anything, this is the best thing that could have evolutionised in animation, and I hope it only continues to do so.
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