Female lead representation in Disney and other studios : Why it’s important

Feminism is defined as a social movement and systems of thought that include a “wide ranging set of theories, politics, and practices that … contest the dominant gender order”. Essentially, the media plays an important role in educating the children today, who will ultimately become the future generation that shapes the world. Thus, it is crucial to represent strong, independent female characters that defy these typical gender stereotypes in media typically consumed by youth.

(Caption : Mulan ready for battle on a rooftop.

“Ever since I was a child, I’ve always looked up to and admired the female characters in particular, in any media I consumed,” says Pooja Anbalagan, a 21-year-old movie buff.

Disney is blazing a steady path ahead in comparison to its other competitors in the youth media market. 17 out of 50 Disney and Pixar films that were produced between 1989 and 2018, featured a female lead character. DreamWorks Animation produced 35 animated features, in which only 4 had a female lead. Whereas Sony Pictures Animation and Illumination released 17 and 8 respectively, however none of them featured a main female character. Female representation has a lot of room to improve, seeing that only 21 of 110 films released by top animation studios in the last 30 years feature female leads.

“Not only is it important to showcase female characters as leads, it is just as crucial that they are shown to have characteristics typically considered “masculine”,” the enthusiastic fan adds.

The protagonist of the Disney movie “Raya and the Last Dragon”, is a primary example of this theme. Raya is headstrong, courageous, fierce and showcases impressive prowess in battle. She is also independent and determined to achieve her goals.

(Caption : Raya.)

The representation is important, and helps young female consumers pose challenges to the dominant social order. These characters transcend the expectations and limitations enforced by the patriarchy, and with time and continuous representation, every little girl around the world will have the thought that “If she can do it, I can do it too”.