Project Director

Harriss, Chandler

Department Examiner

Norman, David

Department

Dept. of Communication

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

In 2022, Disney CEO Bob Chepak spoke out against the "Don't Say Gay" bill signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. DeSantis’ supporters derisively labeled Disney as “woke." However, the company does not warrant the label. Though Fourth Wave feminism has broadened Disney’s idea of a woman, the entertainment company largely operates with a postfeminist lens that prevents its heroines from being feminist representations of women. Audiences see this in "Frozen," (2013), "Moana" (2016), "Encanto" (2021), and "Turning Red" (2022). Disney’s postfeminist rhetoric allows it to portray supposedly progressive women without challenging societal notions of misogyny. Thus, Disney’s criticisms for “wokeness” are largely unfounded claims as it remains largely conservative in its portrayal of masculinity and femininity.

Degree

B. S.; An honors thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of Science.

Date

12-2024

Subject

Animated films--United States--History and criticism; Disney characters; Feminism and motion pictures; Feminist criticism; Fourth-wave feminism; Sex role in motion pictures

Name

Disney, Walt, 1901-1966--Criticism and interpretation; Encanto (Motion picture)--Criticism and interpretation; Frozen (Motion picture : 2013 : Buck and Lee)--Criticism and interpretation; Moana (Motion picture : 2016)--Criticism and interpretation; Turning red (Motion picture)--Criticism and interpretation

Keyword

Postfeminism; Disney; Fourth Wave Feminism; Power

Discipline

Critical and Cultural Studies

Document Type

Theses

Extent

iii, 33 leaves

DCMI Type

Text

Language

English

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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