Moaning Minnie Keira Knightley is wrong to ban her three-year-old from watching Disney films
KEIRA Knightley raised eyebrows as she promoted her forthcoming Disney film The Nutcracker And The Four Realms by revealing she has banned her three-year-old daughter Edie from watching Cinderella and The Little Mermaid – because the characters are “rescued by men”.
So should we all be boycotting the Disney classics? Here, Fabulous Daily Editor and Disney superfan JOELY CHILCOTT gives her view . . .
‘BRIGHT young women, sick of swimming, ready to stand’ are lyrics I sang, loudly and undoubtedly out of tune, on multiple home videos as a child.
As a red-headed attention-seeker, the character of Ariel in The Little Mermaid was my role model and Part Of That World was my karaoke tune.
Now, forgive me if I seem a little “un-feminist”, but I don’t think a child singing about independence, dreaming big and forging her own path in life is something that should be sniffed at.
Yet, sadly, this Disney classic is something Keira’s three-year-old daughter Edie will not have the joy of viewing.
The actress has slammed the classic Disney movies — an odd stance, especially given that Keira is about to star in new Disney movie The Nutcracker And The Four Realms and made her name in Disney franchise Pirates Of The Caribbean.
I grew up with Disney films playing on repeat in my living room and, shock horror, I don’t believe that I should sacrifice everything for a man.
And neither do I believe I can honestly be a mermaid, or speak to a talking candlestick or turn a pumpkin into a glass carriage. Yes, life is a real disappointment.
I am sick of do-gooders jumping on the trend of trying to create double meanings and negative connotations from stories that are imaginative, or creative tales with good, strong morals. Just let us enjoy the entertainment.
Would it be more beneficial for our kids to sit playing addictive games such as Fortnite? I very much doubt it. There are layers to every Disney film.
Keira sees the Cinderella movie as a woman waiting for a man to save her from her evil family.
I see a Fairy Godmother answering a desperate woman’s prayers, proving the support and belief of another woman in your life can be magic.
Surely it’s down to parents to provide differing views and ignite debate in a child’s life.
My mum and dad loved to watch my imagination run wild as a child, encouraging me to make up stories and play different characters.
And they also encouraged me to be ambitious, hard-working and never ever let being a woman suppress my dreams.
If anything, the Disney franchise has more strong female leads than any other.
I grew up thinking women can be anything we want to be — whether that’s a warrior or even a princess. Just look at Meghan Markle.
Let’s not forget that most of these Disney classics derive from well-known literary fairy tales.
The Little Mermaid is by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White are by The Brothers Grimm. Yes, they have been edited to “Disney-fy” them, but the heart of the stories is there.
Should we ignore this literary canon because it doesn’t fit a parent’s current view or agenda?
Surely, that’s like suggesting we shouldn’t read Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet because — spoiler alert — she kills herself for a man.
What a narrow-minded view of the world that would leave the next generation with. Children aren’t two-dimensional cartoon characters, they can be shown multiple viewpoints and mould their own personalities.
While I vividly remember dressing up in the gorgeous yellow gown that Belle wears in Beauty And The Beast, feeling like a real-life princess, I also had a toy tool kit and would pretend to be a carpenter.
I am not completely naïve, I know Disney has flaws.
Much has been written about the unrealistic body images of the main characters — the tiny waists, big boobs and swishing hair.
But I know I have been much more affected by the real-life waif-like models starring in fashion magazines or in music videos.
Because Pocahontas, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White are cartoons, drawn from somebody’s imagination. In the same way my dolls were made from plastic. But let’s not forget, Belle sees past superficial looks and learns to love the Beast.
I have loved the latest Disney films like Brave, Frozen and Moana.They have undoubtedly made a positive step in creating female protagonists with even more of a voice, fierce attitude and independent outlook.
The heart of Frozen lies in the unbreakable sisterly bond, while Moana re-writes her whole family history. I salute these films, but isn’t it great they can co-exist with the older classics? Love stories, make-believe worlds and magic should be here to stay. A film with imagination is, quite simply, a tale as old as time.
My fave strong women
FROM princesses to warriors, Joely reveals her top five most inspiring female characters from the Disney film archive.
