I think one of the biggest misconceptions about feminism is the idea that to be a feminist, you must not adhere to traditional femininity, a femininity that is only traditional because it was constructed a millennium ago by patriarchal culture as a way to separate and control the genders (when I say genders, I generally mean the conservative notions of male and female).
If we take this to be true (which it isn’t), then Disney princesses are not feminist figures because they conform to the roles expected of them: they are beautiful and slim, passive, and are dominated, controlled, and saved by the male figures in their lives.
I disagree…
While feminism means something different to everyone, for me it’s the fight to ensure that women are free to choose and not be discriminated against because of their gender. For some Disney princesses, such as Aurora and Cinderella, their choice is to marry and that’s okay. Some Disney princesses choose to dress in feminine clothing and wear make-up and that’s okay.
Others, such as Mulan, choose to go against what is expected of their gender and not only does she literally save China, but she also realises that her femininity can help: she and her fellow soldiers dress in traditional feminine clothing and use their scarfs to climb the temple. The fact that Mulan is a woman directly contributed to how that story played out. You do not have to abandon traditional constructions of femininity to be a feminist. It’s all about choice.
Frozen is Feminist! Fight Me!
That brings us to Frozen. Frozen is unique within the Disney catalogue because it was the only Disney animated feature to have a female director (aside from Frozen II, it remains so). While some of the early Disney princess movies had female screenwriters and story developers (and who knows how much they were actually allowed to contribute), stories about princesses have been dominated by male storytellers; female stories have been dominated by men and it shows. Frozen is unique because you can see the influence of director and screenwriter Jennifer Lee in every frame.
I think one of the wonderful things about art is that every single person will have a different, nuanced reaction to and understanding of it based on a variety of factors such as age, social standing, culture, gender, personality, experiences, etc. Frozen may not be feminist to some and that’s okay – see, freedom of choice and expression – but it is to me.
While I do acknowledge that there are some problematic elements to Frozen, such as Anna’s clumsiness being an endearing flaw and not one she actually has to overcome because it impacts the story (a good contrast is Mulan) and Anna’s arguable lack of agency (some people just aren’t active in that way, we only think characters in movies and tv have to be because it moves the story along), I do sincerely consider Frozen to be feminist.
Sisterhood At The Heart of Frozen
Yes, there are romantic subplots and evil Hans, whatever, but at its core, Frozen is about the platonic love between two women (even more so than Lilo and Stitch). Elsa and Anna have had their difficulties, but they are close and they love each other. Sisters in cinema are often depicted as rivals in constant, subtle competition with each other but Frozen portrays Elsa and Anna as having a healthy relationship; as someone with two sisters, this was immensely refreshing.
In most stories where one sister is more powerful than the other, there is often resentment but Anna isn’t resentful; she thinks Elsa is the best person alive. Most women in Disney films are defined by their relationship to men or to their mothers, who are often either evil and sexy (God forbid) or non-threatening and motherly (like the fairies in Sleeping Beauty), so to have a movie where Anna’s relationship with Hans and Kristian takes second stage was incredible. And the movie shows that being close to your sister is a strength, not a weakness, as Anna’s sacrifice proves.
Calling out, and actively mocking at some points, the construction of “true love” that Disney built its brand on is also incredibly important. I know the Hans twist has been criticised for being either too rushed or too obvious (make up your minds people), but what it crucially does is show how men can manipulate women using the patriarchal construction of “true love”.
Anna went along with Hans because he acted how she expected him to act and he used that to gain her trust. While this may not have a lasting social impact, it does show young girls that men use how we’re supposed to see them against us, and maybe this will help young women in the future. I hope so, anyway.
Now We Come to The Most Complicated Part of Frozen: Elsa.
Elsa is usually people’s go-to for citing Frozen’s feminism, but she has also been widely criticised. Some claim that Elsa is only independent of men because she has internalised her father’s advice to “be a good girl”, that Elsa is only accepted by her kingdom when she uses her magic for entertainment and is therefore being selfless, soft, and safe in only a way a female can be (because men can’t be those things?) and that her magic is a substitute for romance.
My biggest issue with is the last point. The sheer fact that someone would argue that Elsa’s magic is a substitute for romance is evidence of internalised misogyny. The word substitute implies that Elsa isn’t capable of romance and therefore has to fill her life with something else. It implies that romance is a woman’s first option, always, which is ridiculous. If Elsa doesn’t want to be romantically involved with someone, she doesn’t have to be. Her magic is not connected to her romantic life whatsoever.
Elsa is flawed. She makes mistakes in ways no other Disney princess has been given the space to do before, but she atones. She is powerful and capable, but she is also scared. Some argue that Elsa’s isolation in her ice-palace turns her evil, but that is a base reading of those scenes.
It’s a Disney film so we’ll not go too deep, but put yourself in her shoes for a moment: can you even begin to comprehend the psychological turmoil she is going through? This is the first time she is embracing her power, something that is an integral part of who she is, of course, things aren’t going to be perfect.
Elsa had closed off a part of her very being for so long, it’s only natural that adjustment is going to be bumpy. The fact that Elsa can do magic at all is empowering. Most women in Disney who can do magic are either non-threatening maternal figures who uphold patriarchy by not using it against the system or monstrous-feminine figures like Ursula and Maleficent, who are specifically constructed as female threats to the patriarchy.
Not only can Elsa use magic, she does not use it to hurt men; she uses it to empower herself. Her magic is not connected to the patriarchy. It’s hers, and for her alone.
Also, Let it Go is an absolute banger.
