Response to "Disney: Rated T for Toddlers"

Original post: http://faithisourmedium.blogspot.ca/2012/04/disney-rated-t-for-toddlers.html

I did some research about "Sophia the First", and the Disney Wiki article stated that "Sofia learns that looking like a princess isn’t all that hard but behaving like one must come from the heart". A NY Daily News article also said that, “Sophia the First” will feature "plenty of pretty dresses and sparkly shoes," but with an emphasis on "what makes a real princess is what's inside, not what's outside." Perhaps it is good that Disney is trying to promote to toddlers that the inside is what matters, but I feel that by making her look like all the other princesses with her princess outfits, appearances still play an important role in this series.

It seems that most of Disney's stories are the typical "From rags to riches", and this show is no exception, as Sophia lived a normal life until her mom decided to marry the King. Maybe it's just me (especially after having watched Real Housewives of Vancouver), but it seems that this shows a sort of gold-digging. Of course this is not Disney's intention, but it struck me after I read about how she suddenly becomes royalty after being married into the royal family. To me, it seems like a possible lesson that could be taken from this show is that as long as you marry well, you won't have to work or struggle anymore. It could also teach children, as jlazaga says, that you need to be rich to be happy. 

I also feel that by Disney putting out a princess to cater to such young girls, they are trying to create brand loyalty at such a young age. Of course, I did watch Cinderella, Snow White, etc. when I was 3 years old and onwards and I was loyal to Disney, but I feel that, as jlazaga says, by having this series on television and for 30 minutes, it increases the chance of viewership and it could create an even closer bond with children 

There isn't too much information about the show yet so I can't speak for the plot, but it will be interesting to see how they narrate inner beauty over outer beauty at such a young age.

Toddlers and... Sexuality?

            After mentioning Toddlers and Tiaras in class, I knew I had to blog about this show. I watch TLC from time to time, and I have always seen advertisements for the show. I’ve never watched an episode because I’m a bit too creeped out by the whole idea. The previews usually show little girls acting like spoiled princesses, and act as if they were teenagers. The idea of having a young girl dressed up in piles of makeup and wigs is quite unsettling. 

            I remember seeing this preview before, and as I watched it again, I was reminded how shocked I was when I first saw this. The young girl, Karmen, is forced by her mother to do a spray tan at home. Her mom also had bought her “flippers”, which are fake teeth to have her teeth appear larger (as hers are still baby teeth – which they should be!).

            When they show clips of Karmen getting ready backstage, she narrates how the steps her mom takes when she does her makeup – eyelashes, eyebrows, eyeshadow – something a girl her age shouldn’t know so much about. She states, “My mom does my makeup because she wants me to look pretty”. That shows how Karmen has been raised to believe that appearances are very important; something that shouldn’t be set in one’s mind, especially at her age. It seems that not only has the media targeted young girls to think this way, but has reached out to mothers who believe their daughters should behave this way and thus encourage this behaviour.

            It is important to embrace children as youth, and not try and grow them up so quickly. As discussed in class, young girls are being targeted by the media with products that seem as though they should be sold to older, ‘hot’ women. It is with shows like Toddlers and Tiaras that show how corrupt our media has become, and the effects it has on younger generations.