Step By Step: Disney Channel Representations of Gender
As hard as Disney Channel may try -or may appear to try- they are still struggling to create accurate and balanced representations of gender. For the purposes of this post I will not explore too deeply the intersectionality of racial representation and gender representation on Disney Channel beyond the fact that they have instituted numerous female leads of non-white or biracial heritage, but have given them more traditionally white backgrounds, negating many of their diversity goals, by erasing a lot of people's cultural identities. I will, however, explore topics such as the implementation of more female leads, the reasoning behind it and the impact Disney Channel has had and will continue to have on gender stereotypes and representation.
As “Disney Channel primarily [has] a female audience”(1), it makes sense that Disney Channel would focus on developing shows that would appeal more so to young girls than boys. That is not to say that young boys would not be interested in shows with strong female leads, however, the majority of those interested in such shows would likely be young girls, who would logically enjoy seeing reflections of themselves and embodiments of their potential.
… the network has, for several years, promoted—almost exclusively—shows centered around female protagonists, [and] tends to present them in fiction the same way their actresses appear in the limelight—hyper-stylized, multi-talented comedians with a gift for singing and dreams of becoming a pop star (a dream usually fulfilled on-screen and in real life). But these characters, despite their schedules and personalities, are also allowed to be smart and make good grades, no matter how incredulous. (2)
From a business and demographic standpoint, it is logical that Disney would lean in the direction that would appeal to females, and that would showcase them as a progressive channel (something they, in particular, could benefit from considering their history with intense gender roles and sexism).
Even within the past half a decade to a decade, there are examples of shows that played off intensely stereotypical gender roles and unhealthy beliefs. Often in the more recent examples, these stereotypes are allowed to play out so that in the end they can be 'corrected'. As discussed in the video analysis of some popular 2000s shows, Gender Representations on the Disney Channel (3), their 'corrections' unfortunately often still reinforce traditional, unhealthy stereotypes and beliefs. Some of the examples explored in the video include issues of body image (from extreme dieting to PhotoShop), issues of gender representation, and toxic masculinity. The issues of extreme dieting are not solved until the girls receive validation from males that they were perfect the way they were, and 'tomboys' are not properly considered girls, and by extension, noticed as attractive by males until they had a 'feminine' makeover (in the end the 'tomboy' character returned to their true selves, but the lack of attractiveness to the male eye also returned). In the case of toxic masculinity, masculinity is threatened by even something as simple as their shirt being washed with floral scented fabric softener, and they spend the episode -in what is supposed to be a humorous journey- frantically and ridiculously trying to reassert their rough, aloof, often unhygienic, masculinity.
This absurd portrayal of men is one of the several unhealthy ways Disney has attempted to undo the societal damage inflicted by many of their previous works (i.e. many Disney Princess storylines in which the girl is saved by her prince, etc.). In the past half-decade or so, Disney has fallen back on a new set of stereotypes in an attempt to empower women/ appear to be more progressive.
…the male, dumb-sidekick trope has origins everywhere. Although the actors victim to this typecast on Disney Channel play young, middle-to-high-school-aged students, the older-cast, “bumbling dad” stereotype is perhaps more recognizable and more talked about in main stream criticism. (4)
As bizarre as it is to discuss, it is an actual issue that many don't immediately notice amid the endless loop of laugh-tracks. That is not to say that Disney Channel has always greatly wronged boys, rather that instead of trying to create a level playing field it appears to have fallen back on old habits, just in reverse. No matter what it appears that to Disney, one sex must always be superior to the other (for the purposes of this post, I will not explore the ways these stances impact issues of gender identity, especially as that it nearly impossible to study due to lacking representation of genders beyond cisgender males and females).
Overall, there are still some glaringly obvious problems with their new strategies -from whitewashed lives of non-white/ biracial characters to the shaky representation of gender conformity/non-conformity and identity- Disney Channel is still trying. Whether it be to increase profit or to correct some of the damage inflicted by previous Disney shows and movies, they are actively trying and improving step by step with every new attempt.
Works Cited
1. Hentges, Beth and Case, Kim A., "Gender Representations on Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, and Nickelodeon Broadcasts in the United States", (University of Houston), 2012, 2.
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