Questioning children's cultural messages
Or a small part of it, at any rate.
I saw a commercial for Disney's Princess Sing 'N' Style a few moments ago, and the dolls worry me. They're Disneyfied Disneyfication, neatly packaged in saccharine painted smiles. At least the non-talking Barbies can be dressed in any number of ways, take on any identity/career/etc.
Mini singing Cinderella can't really pass for mini singing Belle, and both of their dresses have been significantly shortened. Mini Ariel comes in two versions: mermaid form and human bride form. The bridal dess is not shortened, preserving the chaste bride fetish.
Moreover, since the dolls only sing when their hair is brushed and styled, the message seems to be that girls should learn to focus on their physical features and then perform for others. (I *did* mention that the doll's "jewels" light up while she sings, right?) It's like Disney took every complaint cultural critics (feminist and otherwise) have ever made against childhood pageantry and decided to preserve it neatly in plastic
But at the same time, I'm torn about them, or at least about the parenting choices they could represent. Jess just had a daughter in January. What if Bella grows up adoring these dolls and graduating to the Bratz line?
What would I do if I had a girl someday? How do parents protect their children from the cultural messages toys like these (and movies, and TV shows, and etc) present? I can understand talking through these issues with older children--and I say *children* because God knows both sexes are bombarded with questionable messages from birth.
But how do you explain cults of femininity and chastity to 2 and 3 year old girls? How do you raise a child to make his/her own choices, even when those choices are in stark contrast to everything you'd ever want for your kids?
I think about this a lot in relation to Jess's kids, especially since I love playing the doting aunt. I try really hard to buy gender-netural items for them (like green playsuits instead of pink/blue), and I do my best to scan the books I buy for them for the same.
I think about it when we go to movies or when I see one that makes me cringe. Cars is a perfect example. I refused to see that movie (and still do) because of Larry the Cable Guy. I don't approve of "Larry's" message or his exploitation of tired archetypes, so I don't want any of my money going into his backpocket.
But Jess's son LOVES the movie, so I did eventually buy him some Lightning McQueen shaped bubble bath that was on clearance at Wal-Mart, or Target, or something.
Was that wrong? Did I sell out? Is a little selling out okay in the interests of letting a kid be a kid? That was my rationale, anyway: that what really mattered was that Alex would enjoy whatever gift I was giving him, especially since in this case, I wasn't doing anything that likely led to my objection. I'm fairly certain Mr. Bubbles and Disney were the only ones to profit from that purchase, not Larry.
I guess the answer is (or maybe answers are) that I don't know and won't know until I'm there. That it's silly to question these things now. That I'm making way too much out of a few dolls I can always just not buy.
But what about the parents now, especially the lazy ones who'd rather placate than parent?
I saw a commercial for Disney's Princess Sing 'N' Style a few moments ago, and the dolls worry me. They're Disneyfied Disneyfication, neatly packaged in saccharine painted smiles. At least the non-talking Barbies can be dressed in any number of ways, take on any identity/career/etc.
Mini singing Cinderella can't really pass for mini singing Belle, and both of their dresses have been significantly shortened. Mini Ariel comes in two versions: mermaid form and human bride form. The bridal dess is not shortened, preserving the chaste bride fetish.
Moreover, since the dolls only sing when their hair is brushed and styled, the message seems to be that girls should learn to focus on their physical features and then perform for others. (I *did* mention that the doll's "jewels" light up while she sings, right?) It's like Disney took every complaint cultural critics (feminist and otherwise) have ever made against childhood pageantry and decided to preserve it neatly in plastic
But at the same time, I'm torn about them, or at least about the parenting choices they could represent. Jess just had a daughter in January. What if Bella grows up adoring these dolls and graduating to the Bratz line?
What would I do if I had a girl someday? How do parents protect their children from the cultural messages toys like these (and movies, and TV shows, and etc) present? I can understand talking through these issues with older children--and I say *children* because God knows both sexes are bombarded with questionable messages from birth.
But how do you explain cults of femininity and chastity to 2 and 3 year old girls? How do you raise a child to make his/her own choices, even when those choices are in stark contrast to everything you'd ever want for your kids?
I think about this a lot in relation to Jess's kids, especially since I love playing the doting aunt. I try really hard to buy gender-netural items for them (like green playsuits instead of pink/blue), and I do my best to scan the books I buy for them for the same.
I think about it when we go to movies or when I see one that makes me cringe. Cars is a perfect example. I refused to see that movie (and still do) because of Larry the Cable Guy. I don't approve of "Larry's" message or his exploitation of tired archetypes, so I don't want any of my money going into his backpocket.
But Jess's son LOVES the movie, so I did eventually buy him some Lightning McQueen shaped bubble bath that was on clearance at Wal-Mart, or Target, or something.
Was that wrong? Did I sell out? Is a little selling out okay in the interests of letting a kid be a kid? That was my rationale, anyway: that what really mattered was that Alex would enjoy whatever gift I was giving him, especially since in this case, I wasn't doing anything that likely led to my objection. I'm fairly certain Mr. Bubbles and Disney were the only ones to profit from that purchase, not Larry.
I guess the answer is (or maybe answers are) that I don't know and won't know until I'm there. That it's silly to question these things now. That I'm making way too much out of a few dolls I can always just not buy.
But what about the parents now, especially the lazy ones who'd rather placate than parent?