Good Question, Kid.
"Why do Disney princesses all marry boys?" she asked.
"Take a minute, here." I thought to myself.
And I launched in. I started the discussion on media and advertising and bigotry and pleasing other people that I want to be having with her throughout her childhood and adolescence. I want her to be media aware, to know why I'm not a fan of companies like Disney, and not to necessarily dislike them herself, but to understand a bit about their motivations and choices. And so I started it.
I talked to her about how Disney is in the business of making money by selling a story and lots of toys and things to go with it to as many people as they can so that they can make a lot of money.
I talked to her about how Disney would not want to make a story that would make some people unhappy, because they would make less money if they sold less tickets, books, and toys.
I talked about how some people didn't think that it was okay for a girl to marry a girl. That we think so in our house and in our country, but some people do not think the same thing.
I talked about how people who were bothered by the idea of a girl marrying another girl would not spend money on that story, so it was in Disney's best interest not to do anything that might make people not spend that money.
And I talked about how I hoped that one day, it would be considered so normal that even a company as bound to pleasing the most conservative as Disney is would not see a problem with a princess-princess love story.
I'm glad we started that talk. It's the sort of talk that's tough to start out of the blue, because you just don't know if they notice, if they care, if they are going to listen and hear you at this point in their growing. So mostly, I'm glad she was curious and asked.
Good stuff, Pumpkinpie. I love that you are seeing that as weird.
Labels: Pumpkinpie
posted by kittenpie @ 8:17 PM
8 Comments:
What an excellent conversation! Thank you for having it with her.
It really is interesting what they start asking at this age. Occasionally, I hear Q-ster say something about an activity or item only being for boys or girls, and I'll ask him why (as well as try to set things straight). So far, not too many questions about relationships, except that noting humans have relationships with humans (for the most part) in his beloved Star Wars universe.
You know me and Disney - good for you to start educating her on the mass marketing practices! And yes, it is interesting to have these talks! At work, there are LOTS of pregnant women and at one point, the students started speculating on whether an unmarried teacher might be going to have a baby which turned into a discussion of whether unmarried women COULD have babies. That's a fun one to field when you aren't talking to your own child!
We have had similar conversations in our house, and my answer is always similar to yours:
... some people didn't think that it was okay for a girl to marry a girl. That we think so in our house and in our country, but some people do not think the same thing.
And then I add, a very emphatic, but they are WRONG.
Here's to raising a generation of children that don't think about what it means to hate.
they hear...nice job mamma.
love you kgirl! "but they are WRONG"
I deal w teenagers so am fearful of voicing any strong opinion lest my child grow up to some right wing nutjob.....
Excellent conversation... and I hope to have a similar one when these types of questions start coming up.
Good for you. Good for her!
She's lucky to have you.
And you're lucky to have a girl who's able to ask such questions.
Let's hope she'll be an animator when she grows up.
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