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June 1994

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Subject:
From:
Andi Oster <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 20 Jun 1994 10:28:58 EDT
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I am interested by Rick Gibbs' question about powerful/wimpy women in
Hollywood/Disney films.  As a member of the Sesame Street Generation (which
I prefer to any other label as long as people insist on labels), I grew up
in the middle of a revisionism in children's literature/entertainment.  I
saw all the Disney classics like Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, etc., and I
would gladly show these films to my children someday.  I enjoyed Sondheim's
Into The Woods immensely, but how could I have enjoyed or even understood
his work without knowing the basis for his parody?
 
At the same time, I had "Free to Be You and Me", which contained little
stories and songs from Marlo Thomas, Alan Alda, Bobby Morse, Carol
Channing, Diana Ross, etc.  When I listened to it recently, I found it so
heavy-handed, didactic, overstated, (your adjective here).  They spend so
much time saying "women CAN do anything and you should be ashamed of
yourself for thinking otherwise" that one almost begins to think "gee, who
ever said we couldn't?!"  After all, the opposite of anything is inherently
tied to its converse, isn't it?  To be fair, FTBYAM also said that men
could be nurturing (ref. "William Has a Doll" - ask if you'd like the text
of this poem), but the majority of the album, especially "Atalanta" in
which a young princess objects to two princes running a race for her hand
in marriage and insists that she be allowed to race too, is presented with
an almost angry undertone.  BTW, Atalanta demands that if she wins, she be
allowed to choose whether to marry at all, then which prince she might
like.
 
I guess what I'm trying to say to this father who posted his question is:
A) I have not been psychologically damaged by watching a beautiful cartoon
depicting a young girl keeping house for seven "little people";
B) Neither have I been so empowered by overblown attempts to re-educate my
views of gender roles;
C) Real-life examples of male/female roles teach children more than those
on television/in movies; and most importantly
D) GIVE CHILDREN CREDIT FOR HAVING BRAINS AND BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND
THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT MEN AND WOMEN AND THAT ABOVE ALL THEY
MUST DECIDE WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY THINK, and that you'll be there for
them.
 
Yes, my chromosomes are XX, but you have my permission to tell your spouse
to lighten up (in a nice way).  I am really tired of all the emphasis
placed on things that don't really hurt kids, when there are still so many
things that do.  Snow White is not our enemy!
 
Respectfully,
Andi-O
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