Unlearning The Myths That Blind Us : Reflection

In Unlearning The Myths That Blind Us by Linda Christensen, one learns how much of an aspect the media and other things we see as children effect us. The media (TV, Movies, Friends, Family, Etc.) effects and teaches us on how we should not only live, but also act and dream. Christensen states that it's almost like a secret education that we go through growing up. One major example would be Disney. The Disney princesses are displayed to have perfect bodies and hair. When in reality none of us look like that. Even supermodels aren't perfect. Scenes and characteristics like these make us as little girls be unhappy with our looks and perhaps continue to make us feel this way for the rest of our lives.

Last semester for my Frist Year Seminar Class we focused on how Disney movies have secret messages in them, how they not only teach us about a fantasy world, but also about gender and culture relationships. My final paper in that class was focused on The Little Mermaid. During the movie our professor told us to point out scenes we thought that displayed the gender roles we don't realize/see when we are children. One scene that I can clearly remember is when Ariel goes to see the sea witch Ursula, she goes to see Ursula because her Father, King Triton, did not allow her to come in contact with humans anymore. Ariel rebelled against her father and went to see Ursula for a pair of legs that way she could see and be with Prince Eric. Ursula later explained to her that she had to give up her beautiful voice for a pair of legs and later taught Ariel how to use her body to win the prince over. In Poor Unfortunate Souls, Ursula sings, "You'll have your looks, your pretty face. And don't underestimate the importance of body language, ha! The men up there don't like a lot of blabber, they think a girl who gossips is a bore! Yes on land it's much preferred for ladies not to say a word and after all dear, what is idle prattle for? Come on, they're not all that impressed with conversation. True gentlemen avoid it when they can but they dote and swoon and fawn on a lady who's withdrawn. It's she who holds her tongue who get's a man." As a child you don't realize this, but now that you are grown up it's incredible to realize that in all reality the song is teaching little girls that you need a pretty face and not to speak for a boy to like you, boys don't like girls who speak a lot.

An article I related this reading to had to be Speaking The Unspeakable by Allan et al. Growing up we don't speak about both of these things: the gender roles we see in movies and LGBT topics. Schools make these topics almost seem "taboo". I've always wondered, why is that? Why are these topics hidden from us? And if they weren't would we act differently? If girls weren't shown that boys need to make the moves to be with a girl would the roles be reversed? Would women be the ones proposing to men if the roles were switch?!

http://www.wbez.org/blogs/leah-pickett/2013-06/how-growing-disney-shapes-gender-roles-107575