Author and theorist Dr. Jackson Katz was in Grand Forks last Friday to discuss gender violence prevention and media has had a role to play in it.
The issue of violence against women and sexism goes far beyond attitudes developed while watching violent TV programs and playing violent video games.
It can come from watching the NHL on TSN or even Disney’s The Little Mermaid.
The link between contact sports such as football and hockey, and sexist attitudes is rather obvious as machismo is valued and playing through the pain is an expectation.
Also, the image of being bigger and stronger is the desired image for males.
But while the contribution of Disney movies is more subtle it is a contributor nonetheless.
While there have been great strides made by the women’s rights movement since the 1930s, the prototype for a female in the company’s movies has not.
Snow White, Ariel (the Little Mermaid) and Cinderella are icons amongst pop culture in both the 20th and 21st centuries but they are not strong, feminist role models as they aren’t really out-spoken and are timid.
They are more prone to bat an eyelash and conform to a male, a la Marilyn Monroe, as opposed to pulling a Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon in Thelma & Louise and therein lies one of the major problems.
At an early age, images are being ingrained in a young girl’s mind, not of a female that is strong and able to be independent but rather of one that is content to follow the lead of a male.
Rather than take cues from Disney heroines and even the likes of Britney Spears and Lady Gaga, young girls should follow the lead of Hillary Clinton and even hockey player Hayley Wickenheiser, who has won numerous gold medals with the Canadian Olympic hockey team and even played in a professional men’s league in Europe.
Women’s rights have come a long way since the bra-burnings in the 1960s and gender equality isn’t some pipe dream anymore – women are in the workplace and pursuing careers after all.
Someone should tell Snow White and Cinderella about that.
– The Grand Forks Gazette