Are Disney Movies Bad for Children?

[Tano]

However, Disney channel is grossly disturbing sometimes, with blatant references to sex, traditions, and showing protaganists doing highly illegal actions and getting out of it "because they were sorry".

I don't recall it being that bad.

They weren't :/ My sister has been watching them for a while, and they've gotten worse every year.

But Disney movies? Nah. Nothing wrong there.

[Mushet]

watching porn in disney movies

(Image)

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Is it just me or is the head a bit big?

[Diopolis]

Like, do they rot your teeth or give you lung cancer? No, I don't think so.

In all seriousness, I can see what people are saying about them and Nickelodeon promoting the sexualisation of young girls. But I have to say: Is it only them? Look at our society in general. It's everywhere. Clothing brands, various television channels - it's everywhere. Don't want your little girl to be exposed to it? Keep her away from it. Homeschool her, don't own a TV, and sew your own clothes.

You can either get out there and make a difference - protest, write letters, preach, whatever - or just deal with it, and let your daughter wear clothes more appropriate for someone that has already hit puberty and start wanting a boyfriend at six years old. Don't sit around and bitch about it while your kids listen to Miley Cyrus and go out on a date in fifth grade.

^this. The sexualization of society is deeply imbedded in it, and extracting it will be long and painful.

[The Sector Union]

I don't recall it being that bad.

They weren't :/ My sister has been watching them for a while, and they've gotten worse every year.

But Disney movies? Nah. Nothing wrong there.

Although iCarly is Nickelodean, I remember this one episode where a gay couple owned this pet photo shoot shop and Carly and her friends decided to vandalize the store to get revenge because the couple closed down their photoshoot.

Basically promoted vandalism and glamorized it to the child audience.

[Ifreann]

They weren't :/ My sister has been watching them for a while, and they've gotten worse every year.

But Disney movies? Nah. Nothing wrong there.

Although iCarly is Nickelodean, I remember this one episode where a gay couple owned this pet photo shoot shop and Carly and her friends decided to vandalize the store to get revenge because the couple closed down their photoshoot.

Basically promoted vandalism and glamorized it to the child audience.

And I'm sure this was the entire episode. Definitely no later part where they learned the error of their ways or anything like that.

[Ostroeuropa]

Although iCarly is Nickelodean, I remember this one episode where a gay couple owned this pet photo shoot shop and Carly and her friends decided to vandalize the store to get revenge because the couple closed down their photoshoot.

Basically promoted vandalism and glamorized it to the child audience.

And I'm sure this was the entire episode. Definitely no later part where they learned the error of their ways or anything like that.

I'm not sure.
We're pony fans.
You're telling me that even our show, with generally good writers, hasn't completely dropped the ball incredibly hard on some of the moral implications?
I'm betting that at least one show on nickelodean (Fuck, a LOT of shows and movies) glamorize vandalism and criminal activity as long as the victim is an asshole and the nominal "villain"

[The Sector Union]

Although iCarly is Nickelodean, I remember this one episode where a gay couple owned this pet photo shoot shop and Carly and her friends decided to vandalize the store to get revenge because the couple closed down their photoshoot.

Basically promoted vandalism and glamorized it to the child audience.

And I'm sure this was the entire episode. Definitely no later part where they learned the error of their ways or anything like that.

At least Spongebob has characters doing bad things and suffer the consequences later. The only cartoon years ahead we should be proud of.

[Ifreann]

And I'm sure this was the entire episode. Definitely no later part where they learned the error of their ways or anything like that.

I'm not sure.
We're pony fans.
You're telling me that even our show, with generally good writers, hasn't completely dropped the ball incredibly hard on some of the moral implications?
I'm betting that at least one show on nickelodean (Fuck, a LOT of shows and movies) glamorize vandalism and criminal activity as long as the victim is an asshole and the nominal "villain"

It's possible, but considering the source I'm highly doubtful.

[SaorAlba]

Aye of course they are!!

I was trumatised as a child when Bambi's mother got shot! I've never been the same since.

[United Kingdom of Poland]

Yes they are.
The Disney Cult is re-establishing films with stories that weren't really meant for kids in the first place. Many of the movies contain these subliminal messages about sex.

I know Walt Disney was a social conservative but his legacy has been hijacked by some fat corporate slob. and don't get me started on the garbage Disney Channel puts, those are worst than the movies.

you honestly believe that conspiricy garbage, there are no messages sexual or otherwise. all it is is that you heard it from someone else then noticed it in the movie

[Matta]

And I'm sure this was the entire episode. Definitely no later part where they learned the error of their ways or anything like that.

At least Spongebob has characters doing bad things and suffer the consequences later. The only cartoon years ahead we should be proud of.

You know that spongebob was originally going to be a Gay Adult Show.

[Matta]

Yes they are.
The Disney Cult is re-establishing films with stories that weren't really meant for kids in the first place. Many of the movies contain these subliminal messages about sex.

I know Walt Disney was a social conservative but his legacy has been hijacked by some fat corporate slob. and don't get me started on the garbage Disney Channel puts, those are worst than the movies.

you honestly believe that conspiricy garbage, there are no messages sexual or otherwise. all it is is that you heard it from someone else then noticed it in the movie

*You, *Conspiracy *all *. People will actually listen to that when you use proper grammar.
Also how can the be no sexual messages if you hear its in the movie and then notice it therefore you just stated it is there.

[United Kingdom of Poland]

you honestly believe that conspiricy garbage, there are no messages sexual or otherwise. all it is is that you heard it from someone else then noticed it in the movie

*You, *Conspiracy *all *. People will actually listen to that when you use proper grammar.
Also how can the be no sexual messages if you hear its in the movie and then notice it therefore you just stated it is there.

No its a psychology thing, the power of suggestion, you only notice something because someone pointed it out to you. I never notice them because I believe it's garbage.
Alladin isn't telling kids to take their garments, the flower pedals have no words in them, there is nothing on Andy's computer, and the shadow looks more like a head then what Slovenya is suggesting.

[The Marxist State]

Alladin isn't telling kids to take their garments,

Yeah, it's too busy being very, very racist.

Again, that happened when he was being a dick.

Belle didn't have any of that shit. She locked herself in a room.

And in the original story he's not "a dick" at all, not to mention the fact that she didn't have to lock herself in her room since she could leave at any time she wanted (not just to save her father from dying, which was also a Disney addition)

Honestly I don't care about the message that much (although I won't let go of the whole "Aladdin is racist" thing because it's really glossed over by most people). The point is that whatever message Disney's come up with is the one we're stuck with because of the way they've commodified fairy tales.

[Pine Mountain]

Wow. Talk about jealous dysgenic tyranny.
I never realized how some of the Disney films venerate excellent genes (beauty; the shapeliness which Charellia calls 'dangerously underweight'; women who take advantage of their shapely child-bearing bodies by marrying at prime reproductive age, and who desire a handsome and otherwise excellent mate more than anything) until now, when the jealous tyrannical media-censoring dysgenicist Charellia pointed it out, and was also angry enough to make libellous accusations of racism and sexism.




...The coming accusation of 'stupid' by tyrannical dysgenicists who habitually call enlightening information which they desire to suppress 'stupid' is almost hilariously predictable.

[Marcurix]

I wouldn't say so, usually they do have good messages, in the end at least. Though the older ones tend to reflect a different time, they aren't inherently bad for children.

All the apparent undertones are more likely to go way over any kids head and stick to the parents, as they tend to do.

[Charellia]

Wow. Talk about jealous dysgenic tyranny.
I never realized how some of the Disney films venerate excellent genes (beauty; the shapeliness which Charellia calls 'dangerously underweight'; women who take advantage of their shapely child-bearing bodies by marrying at prime reproductive age, and who desire a handsome and otherwise excellent mate more than anything) until now, when the jealous tyrannical media-censoring dysgenicist Charellia pointed it out, and was also angry enough to make libellous accusations of racism and sexism.




...The coming accusation of 'stupid' by tyrannical dysgenicists who habitually call enlightening information which they desire to suppress 'stupid' is almost hilariously predictable.

First of all while the women in Disney films are that way because of genetics but it is still irresponsible for Disney to present only one body type for its female protagonists when it is one that most people cannot achieve and still be healthy. Second here in the twenty first century we no longer view women as being meant only for reproduction. Third there are a lot better traits to cultivate than beauty most of which Disney princesses lack. Fourth if believing that girls deserve to have better role models makes me a dysgenicist then I am proud to have that label. Finally I would like to point out that nowhere did I EVER suggest that Disney should be censored. I am just trying to stimulate a debate on what I think is an important issue.

[Charellia]

I wouldn't say so, usually they do have good messages, in the end at least. Though the older ones tend to reflect a different time, they aren't inherently bad for children.

All the apparent undertones are more likely to go way over any kids head and stick to the parents, as they tend to do.

Just because a kid doesn't understand the undertones doesn't mean they don't effect them.

[Orcoa]

Not really, they are just movies that are trying to tell a story. I don't think the makers of these films set out to degrade women or any group of people.

[Marcurix]

I wouldn't say so, usually they do have good messages, in the end at least. Though the older ones tend to reflect a different time, they aren't inherently bad for children.

All the apparent undertones are more likely to go way over any kids head and stick to the parents, as they tend to do.

Just because a kid doesn't understand the undertones doesn't mean they don't effect them.

and how does it effect them?

[Temujinn]

I am not 100% sure this belongs in General rather than Arts and Fiction but as the intent here is to focus the discussion on the influence of the films on society rather than the films themselves I'm putting it here.

I was watching a bunch of Disney movies with my sister yesterday and I do not think they are a good influence on children, especially girls. The movies are full of racist and sexist messages.
The classic Disney princesses are all dangerously underweight. Many are passive and helpless and even those who do have some control over their own lives are still ultimately reliant on the prince to save them. Most marry in their teens.
On top of this there is a pattern in the appearances of the characters. Protagonists of both genders are beautiful, supporting characters are strange looking and villains are ugly or monstrous. This clearly sends the wrong message about appearance. Villains are always darker in colour than the heroes as well. Even on the rare occasion heroes are not white they are always lighter skinned than the villains.
One exception I noted was Beauty and the Beast which had only the problem of the underweight princess. I also am overlooking the 21st century films as they do not have the same influence as the older ones in popular culture.
I would not take issue with any of this if these were movies for adults, but as Disney movies are not only aimed at young children but are usually the first movies children see it is important to be aware of the lessons they are teaching.

What does everybody else think? Are Disney movies a bad influence on children? Do the characters make good role models?

EDIT: I would like to retract my claim about Beauty and the Beast not being harmful in light of some well reasoned responses. I still think it is better than most but clearly there are problems I missed.

I let my daughters watch Mulan, the classics were tolerated but not heaved on them , and Pocahontas was forbidden in my house.
I didnt like the messages of the Disney princesses, because I wanted my daughters to be strong and self reliant.

[Charellia]

Just because a kid doesn't understand the undertones doesn't mean they don't effect them.

and how does it effect them?

Children who's understanding of the world is not yet formed are seeing these movies where beauty is equated with goodness and dark skin and foreign accents are equated with evil.

[Meryuma]

Eh, it depends. Aladdin definitely has some racism going on. Atlantis? Not so much. The Lion King? Eh, the jury's out.

They kinda ruined Pinocchio though.

Twerking is basically when a girl shakes her ass. Up and down. Usually to a beat. Making the ass, you know, shake. And jiggle. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twerking

Pretty sure it doesn't have to be a girl.

[Orcoa]

and how does it effect them?

Children who's understanding of the world is not yet formed are seeing these movies where beauty is equated with goodness and dark skin and foreign accents are equated with evil.

.....Aladdin

There you go, you're statement is invalid because in that movie everybody is dark skinned and the heroes are not white

So....yeah try again please?

[Orcoa]

Eh, it depends. Aladdin definitely has some racism going on. Atlantis? Not so much. The Lion King? Eh, the jury's out.

They kinda ruined Pinocchio though.

Twerking is basically when a girl shakes her ass. Up and down. Usually to a beat. Making the ass, you know, shake. And jiggle. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twerking

Pretty sure it doesn't have to be a girl.

I don't know about Racism in Aladdin....

Maybe I'm not seeing it or something