Part 2 video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN2W0fv8hY4
Part 1:
When thinking of the development of prejudice in children, one has to think of all of the
cartoons our parents were exposed to, those we were exposed to, and those we may
expose our children to. When we take a look back at many cartoons and movies from the
past (and even now), we can see where there were pervasive representation issues. The
way different characters and cultures were often represented were biased, stereotypic,
and harmful. These were the images and stereotypes that we were shown as children. Do
we want that to continue with our children?
One company that has been trusted and beloved by families for generations is
Disney. However, Disney has made an explicit effort to start to combat this. Not only
have they openly admitted to their past mistakes, but they are also actively working to
correct the impact their media has on future generations.
Take a moment to read their statement about the importance of representation, their
mistakes of the past, and how they are moving forward to do better. Be sure to watch
their short video and read through their website here:
Disney+ Advisory – Stories Matter | The Walt Disney Company
Given this information, let’s discuss the following questions:
(1) Provide an example of a cartoon or movie that you watched as a child that was
problematic and explain why it was problematic. For instance, you could discuss any of
the following questions: Who was the hero? Who was the villain? Who was the Princess? Who was
the Prince? What gender roles played out? What racial/ethnic stereotypes were portrayed? How were
overweight vs. thin characters portrayed? What about the other marginalized groups? Etc.
(2) We can see that some companies, like Disney, are making efforts to make necessary
representation changes (e.g., the new live-action version of The Little Mermaid, casting
Halle Bailey as Ariel). We can also see the impact this decision has had on children
(e.g., Here are some adorable videos). What do you wish would have been done
https://storiesmatter.thewaltdisneycompany.com/
https://www.cnn.com/videos/media/2022/09/13/little-mermaid-trailer-reactions-halle-bailey-orig-jc.cnn
differently when you were a child (in terms of movies and media)? What impact would
that have had on you?
(3) Finally, knowing what you know now and the problematic past we’ve had with
cartoons and media, what would you say to help those that are upset over a fictional
character being represented by an actor from a different racial or ethnic group to see the
benefits of this change?
Part 2:
After you have watched the entire 90-minute film, The Mask you Live In, reply to the questions
below and then read your classmate’s comments and reply to at least one classmate. Make
sure your comments make clear to me that you have viewed the film. Was there any one aspect
or moment in THE MASK YOU LIVE IN that resounded the most within you? Were there any
statements or facts that you found shocking? Which aspects of the film were you already
familiar with?
However you identify yourself gender-wise, do you consider yourself to be a strong or weak
individual? Do you associate your answer with masculine/feminine stereotypes in any way?
When you are feeling weak, do you feel more feminine, and when you are feeling strong, more
masculine? If you are a parent (or plan to be a parent), what are some of the parenting
approaches you can use to encourage your child to identify and appropriately express the full
range of emotions?
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