Disney Princesses...and they lived happily ever after.

I never realized that there are actually a lot of things to talk about the Disney Princesses. Interestingly, the reporters about the Disney Characters discussed about different issues but they all touched on the issue of the princesses being weak and helpless. They are always the damsel in distress rescued by a vigorous and handsome prince. Disney fairytales always portray the female characters as the villains of the story (E.g. stepmothers or the stepsisters). The main character, who is the princess, is always much fairer than the rest of the characters. They portray how society almost always gives preference to beautiful women over the ugly ones. As a reaction to this preference, Cinderella’s stepsisters and Snow White’s stepmother felt jealous and insecure about themselves. During the 90s, Disney’s Princess Jasmine tried to set apart herself from the rest of the princesses. First, she is black and then she is wearing a more liberated type of outfit, showing off her curves. It was also mentioned that Aladdin was produced in the height of racism that is why Princess Jasmine is different among all the stereotyped princesses because she is somewhat rebellious. The objects of humor in all Disney fairytales are the small, fat and ugly people. Sidekicks are always the funny Black characters who are always very clumsy.

One of the reporters mentioned that the 7 dwarves could possibly be homosexuals. It was kind of vague when he gave his arguments such as why are they miners and why did they allow snow white to stay in their house. I do not think that there is enough reason to typify them as homosexuals.

Disney Princesses are somehow very idealistic and it tries to promote gender stereotypes. Although I have really nothing against these fims, I think that it’s good to know that movies such Shrek are now being produced to break away from the stereotypes that these Disney Movies have established.

image source: http://www.carnivalpromotions.com/images/Moonwalks/Standard/Disney%20Princess/Disney%20Princess.jpg

Filipino Archetypes

Archetypes are beginning pattern that recurs throughout time to be considered as universal. The proponent for this concept is the famous psychologist Carl Jung, who is behind the theory of “collective unconscious.” Examples of universal archetypes for male and female are the sky and the earth, light and darkness, odd and even, square and round, blue and pink, and roses and thorns. Guns are also used to symbolize male organ whereas peanuts are for female’s clitoris. I am really not quite sure about Filipino Archetypes but I think that “Bituin” or stars are used to associate with female whereas Bahaghari or rainbow and Habagat or the Southwest monsoon are used to associate with male. The spoon is also associated with female whereas fork is with male. (Example: Nahulog ang kuchara habang kumakain ng hapunan: ibig sabihin may darating na babaeng bisita.)

image source:
http://www.clipartpoint.com/_Thumbnail%5CAnimated%20Gifs%5CObjects%5CFork%20And%20Spoon%5Cfork_spoon_090.GIF

Some famous novelty songs also have representations of male and female such as the song “Bulaklak” (flower) and “ Basketball” by the Viva Hotbabes. The “Bulaklak” is used as a representation of the female genital. In the song “Basketball,” The ball represents the male organ and the basket represents the female organ during sexual intercourse. I am not sure if this is still an archetype but some other representations may include vegetables such as talong, patola, upo, ampalaya (for male) and fruits like banana (male) and pinya (female). The bird is also a representation for a male’s genital (sometimes, either maya or eagle.) Seafoods like tahong, talaba are also associated with female. The bibinkga and puto bongbong also represent female and male organs respectively.

Gender Roles and Biases

1.) When Meg becomes Rod and Rod becomes Meg.


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2.) Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus.


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3.) Toilet Etiqutte


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4.) Women in the corporate world.




image sources:
www.cartoonstock.com
http://bifsniff.com/images/cartoons/womencars_cartoon.gif