I know. Bit of a weird title eh? I just know some people will have hit on this site by mistake, and it’s not what you’re looking for… soz, you might want to alter your search keywords (and maybe your moral standards, they are animations for kids FFS)
Anyway, there has been a campaign started to make Elsa a lesbian in Frozen 2. Now, I want to see homosexuality accurately represented as much as the next human being with a soul, heartbeat, ounce of compassion etc etc… but i’d like to point something out to the people engaging in this campaign-
I’m not sure how familiar you are with Disney films but if one wants to address equality, diversity and human rights, I’m not 100% sure Disney is the forum to do this. I.e. as a general life rule, do NOT rely on Disney to educate your child about life. If you do then wholly expect your daughter to have an unnaturally small waist, marry a prince and be borderline dull in personality. OR be a complete hoot, clinically obese, eternally around the 60 year old mark and jovial of character. Likewise if you have a son expect him to be a (a) wimpy prince (b) hunk (Titan is way too pumped for a merdad) or (c) slightly dippy but friendly scallywag (I’m looking at you, Flynn Ryder and Aladdin)
In short, diversity is not Disney’s forte. I can’t even watch Pocahontas, and I don’t want my kids to watch it anymore either. Sure, I can see the subtle parody that although it is the native North Americans being called savages it is the white men who are acting like savages. But I’m not sure that the kids do. And as for the lyrics to the song ‘savages’, look it up, you’ll be surprised.
But anyway, onwards and upwards right? Just because Disney hasn’t portrayed equality in the past, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t now does it? absolutely not. I want to see a lesbian princess as much as the next exasperated Disney indoctrinated parent. But not Elsa. Why not her? because she is the ONLY princess in the Disney films I have seen, not to fall hopelessly in love with a prince or male ragamuffin. Why? the children cry… Disney will tell you why- must be gay. To not have engaged in some sort of smoochy slushy love scene (which the kids hate anyway btw) she MUST be a lezza. It’s the only rational solution. You are just feeding into those boys at school who if you didn’t get off with them at the school disco you were frigid, or gay. Must be. It couldn’t possibly be that Elsa, who quite frankly with the whole ICE SHOOTING OUT OF HER HANDS SITCH, has BIGGER FISH TO FRY than getting her leg over with anyone. She couldn’t just be busy, or y’know, concentrating on her career as an ice princess could she?
So if Disney do bring out a film with a gay protagonist then let’s make their relationship the focus of the film shall we? Like all the others. Let’s not just stick it in there as an afterthought for the only girl who hasn’t had a relationship with a man. Also, don’t let them float the idea in an already successful film. Let them make a film about a gay relationship regardless of their perception of whether it will effect the ratings and success of the film. That’s equality. Not just a token lesbian stuck into an already successful film.
As an aside when my daughter was 4 I decided not to rely on Disney to teach to her about relationships, homosexuality and equality and thought I’d do it myself. Crazy I know. Our conversation went like this:
4 year old: Mummy can I marry my brother?
Me: No, you can’t marry your family. You can marry whoever else you want to though…
4 year old: Whoever else I like?
Me: Yep, whoever you like, if you fall in love with them, and they want to marry you too..
4 year old: Can a girl marry a girl?
Me: Yep
4 year old: Can a boy marry a boy?
Me: Yep
4 year old: ‘What’s for tea?
Disney could learn a few things from the audience it targets (it was fish fingers and waffles if you’re interested).
