Overview
In their chapter “The ‘Two Cultures’ of Childhood,'” Rudman et al explain that “[s]egregation both allows and encourages girls and boys to develop separate worlds or ‘cultures’ characterized by different activities, interaction styles, and social rules” (59). Citing the research of Bem, they note that the consequence of these different cultures is that “[c]hildren quickly develop strong gender schemas,” which encourage them to categorize and label “different attributes, behaviors, objects, or social practices” as male or female. Children’s media is a powerful influence in the process of creating and developing gender schemas in that much of children’s media perpetuate traditional gender norms and encourage different interaction styles. Disney, as the most powerful player in the children’s culture market, wields a lot of power over children’s media. While their older films are still in heavy rotation, and therefore still very influential, their newer films show that Disney has responded to feminist criticism by creating more empowered female characters. Katha Pollit’s concept of “The Smurfette Principle,” first developed in the 1990s, was an example of some of this feminist criticism that prompted media companies to be attentive to gender and representation in their children’s programming. However, as Anita Sarkeesian demonstrates in her video, “Is the Smurfette Principle Still Around?” gender equality in media still remains an elusive goal.
Works Cited
Rudman, Laurie A., et al. “The Two Cultures of Childhood.” The Social Psychology of Gender: How Power and Intimacy Shape Gender Relations. The Guilford Press, 2015, 59-63.
Prompt
Compare the arguments in Mickey Mouse Monopoly to the concept of “The Smurfette Principle.” On the one hand, most of the Disney films center around a female character, which seems to challenge the idea of the Smurfette Principle. However, there are some similarities in the arguments in terms of the attributes of the female characters. Please make specific references to points made in Mickey Mouse Monopoly and “The Smurfette Principle,” You may also bring up the points made in the films “How Movies Teach Manhood.”
Cite Your Sources
When using quotes or paraphrases from any of the readings, be sure to include a citation. You should have in-text citations and a Works Cited. All of the materials you need to complete this assignment are in the module. You should not use any sources outside of this module.