Disney, bowing to SoxTalk pressure, goes back to old Princess Merida

[caulfield12]

http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/s...-181258013.html

[southsideirish71]

http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/s...-181258013.html

 

This required another thread?

[southsider2k5]

This required another thread?

 

Cute title mandated it.

[caulfield12]

'Brave' creator blasts Disney for 'blatant sexism' in princess makeover

 

By Paul Liberatore

Marin Independent Journal

 

Posted: 05/11/2013 06:33:55 PM PDT

 

 

In this image taken from the Yahoo Shine parenting blog, the different versions of the Merida character are shown. Marin resident Brenda Chapman wrote and directed the Brave film that featured the character, whose original image was inspired by Brenda's daughter Emma Chapman. The character has been made to look more adult ahead of adding Merida as the 11th Disney princess.

 

Marin filmmaker Brenda Chapman, who won an Oscar for writing and co-directing the animated feature "Brave," blasted Disney's sexy makeover of her movie's feisty heroine, Merida, as "a blatantly sexist marketing move based on money."

 

Chapman, a Mill Valley resident, modeled the headstrong Merida on her 13-year-old daughter, Emma, creating her as a role model for little girls.

 

In an email to the Independent Journal on Saturday, she said she has given Bob Iger, president of Walt Disney International, "a piece of my mind" for the entertainment giant's decision to glamorize the tomboy character she envisioned.

 

"There is an irresponsibility to this decision that is appalling for women and young girls," she said, writing from Chile, where she has been on business. "Disney marketing and the powers that be that allow them to do such things should be ashamed of themselves."

 

Disney crowned Merida its 11th princess on Saturday, but ignited a firestorm of protest with a corporate makeover of Chapman's original rendering of the character, giving her a Barbie doll waist, sultry eyes and transforming her wild red locks into glamorous flowing tresses. The new image takes away Merida's trusty bow and arrow, a symbol of her strength and independence, and turns her from a girl to a young woman dressed in an off-the-shoulder version of the provocative, glitzy gown she hated in the movie.

 

"I think it's atrocious what they have done to Merida," Chapman fumed. "When little girls say they like it because it's more sparkly, that's all fine and good but, subconsciously, they are soaking in the sexy 'come hither' look and the skinny aspect of the new version. It's horrible! Merida was created to break that mold — to give young girls a better, stronger role model, a more attainable role model, something of substance, not just a pretty face that waits around for romance."

 

Chapman, the first woman to win an Academy Award for an animated feature, said she has added her name to a petition with more than 50,000 signatures that has gone viral on the female empowerment website "A Mighty Girl," joining other mothers outraged by Disney's sexualization of her headstrong young Scottish heroine, an expert archer with a head of wild, curly red hair and a mind of her own.

 

Signers variously described the new Merida as "vapid," "arm candy," "unrealistic" and "vacant looking."

 

In an official statement to Yahoo! Shine, a Disney spokesperson said, "Merida exemplifies what it means to be a Disney Princess through being brave, passionate, and confident and she remains the same strong and determined Merida from the movie whose inner qualities have inspired moms and daughters around the world."

 

Chapman begs to differ. In basing Merida on her teenage daughter, then a student at Mill Valley Middle School, she said she wanted the movie to be "a contemporary fairy tale" that resonates with today's working mothers and daughters. Her character's image as a different kind of princess turned out to be hugely successful, grossing more than $550 million, winning an Oscar, a Golden Globe and the Bafta Award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

 

"They have been handed an opportunity on a silver platter to give their consumers something of more substance and quality — THAT WILL STILL SELL — and they have a total disregard for it in the name of their narrow minded view of what will make money," Chapman wrote. "I forget that Disney's goal is to make money without concern for integrity. Silly me."

Contact Paul Liberatore via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @LibLarge. Read his blog at blogs.marinij.com/marinmusicman/

[caulfield12]

http://jezebel.com/5873688/sexy-students-s...-for-being-sexy

 

On a somewhat related topic, has a MALE student's yearbook picture ever been banned/excluded for being too sexy?

 

Pay SPECIAL attention to the comments section below...as it dovetails with the previous discussion on Princess Merida's "makeover."

 

 

 

 

http://perezhilton.com/2012-04-09-jennifer...reast-reduction

 

For those on the other side of the argument, Jennifer Love-Hewitt claims her breasts were covered and reduced 1 1/2 sizes...but that the David Beckham underwear poster across the street was showing "all of his manhood/junk" haha

Edited May 16, 2013 by caulfield12

[farmteam]

This required another thread?

Well there's still that weird Alford one going on in the Sports Pub too.

[Iwritecode]

When little girls say they like it because it's more sparkly, that's all fine and good but, subconsciously, they are soaking in the sexy 'come hither' look and the skinny aspect of the new version.

 

The kids like the changes even though the parents are outraged. Adults are always screwing things up for kids.

 

This reminds me of the parents that get into fights on the sidelines of their kids sports activities while the kids have no idea what the adults are fighting over.

 

[Steve9347]

This required another thread?

The thread title alone was worth it.

 

Cute title mandated it.

Exactly.

[Steve9347]

http://jezebel.com/5873688/sexy-students-s...-for-being-sexy

 

On a somewhat related topic, has a MALE student's yearbook picture ever been banned/excluded for being too sexy?

So stupid. The yearbook is not a location for a pin-up contest. This girl wants her 15 minutes and is getting it.

[StrangeSox]

Some schools have banned strapless dresses for dances because, you know, sluts or something.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/...jersey/2133117/

[Jenksismyhero]

Some schools have banned strapless dresses for dances because, you know, sluts or something.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/...jersey/2133117/

 

Well, you don't want the fat girls to feel ashamed/embarrassed/self-conscious about THEIR dresses.

[StrangeSox]

Not why they did it, they thought it would be "too distracting" for boys. So of course, girls must change their behavior.

 

Plus heavy girls can wear strapless dresses without a problem. My friend's wedding dress was strapless, and she's worn several strapless bridesmaid dresses.

[Jenksismyhero]

Not why they did it, they thought it would be "too distracting" for boys. So of course, girls must change their behavior.

 

Plus heavy girls can wear strapless dresses without a problem. My friend's wedding dress was strapless, and she's worn several strapless bridesmaid dresses.

 

But they don't look nearly as good as those anorexic models wearing strapless dresses!

 

Edit: they cited fear of wardrobe malfunctions. I'd like to see the numbers from a study on that. I used to get down with the best of them in 8th grade, but not enough to get a dress off. I can't imagine that happens all that often (if ever).

Edited May 16, 2013 by Jenksismybitch

[caulfield12]

http://shine.yahoo.com/fashion/plus-size-m...-190425777.html

 

She can dance with me anytime, strapless or not.

 

By the way, this particular model has kind of become the "counter-punch" to the waif-ish, size 0 revolution in the last year.

[caulfield12]

The thread title alone was worth it.

 

 

Exactly.

 

 

With the elimination of catch-all threads in SoxTalk, I felt obligated to create more in other areas, haha.

[Texsox]

Kids behavior gets out of hand in hurry. Something as silly as holes in jeans have become a major source of distraction here. It is so annoying trying to gain the attention of the class while the boys are discussing whether they could see some girls underwear or WHAT!!!! through the holes in her jeans. So why should the school have to deal with jeans with holes?

[Soxbadger]

Kids behavior gets out of hand in hurry. Something as silly as holes in jeans have become a major source of distraction here. It is so annoying trying to gain the attention of the class while the boys are discussing whether they could see some girls underwear or WHAT!!!! through the holes in her jeans. So why should the school have to deal with jeans with holes?

 

Because no matter what you do, you are not treating women as equal.

 

If you let Disney make a character sexier they are bad because it promotes bad self image.

 

If you dont let girls wear nothing to school, the school is bad because it is repressing them.

 

lol

[caulfield12]

Kids behavior gets out of hand in hurry. Something as silly as holes in jeans have become a major source of distraction here. It is so annoying trying to gain the attention of the class while the boys are discussing whether they could see some girls underwear or WHAT!!!! through the holes in her jeans. So why should the school have to deal with jeans with holes?

 

 

But, even if the kids wear uniforms, the boys will "sag" and sooner or later, their pants will be falling down completely.

 

The girls will show up at school with skirts below the knees and then magically they'll be mini-skirts later. Or the girls will order white button-down blouses that are 2 sizes small...or wear sexy stockings to show their individuality.

 

It will always be something, right?

[mr_genius]

Well, you don't want the fat girls to feel ashamed/embarrassed/self-conscious about THEIR dresses.

 

exactly. all dresses should be identical in appearance.