Portrayal of the Female Body Image in Disney Films

For nearly seventy years, especially from the 1980s through the late 1990s, the Walt Disney film corporation has depicted the heroines of its animated motion pictures as epitomes of the ideal female physique. Each female protagonist serves as the symbol of physical flawlessness. Along with a display of wholesomeness and virtuosity, each Disney heroine possesses a petite waistline, perfectly proportioned facial structures, skin-tight, skin-baring garments, and voluptuous curves that attract members of the opposite sex. With knowledge of these facts, one might take a look at animators' sketches and storyboards to analyze the realities behind Disney films-particularly The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Pocahontas-and affirm that the portrayal of heroines in these films creates an idealized image of the female body type. This image becomes a prime factor in teenage eating disorders and depression. Therefore, one might insist that the public has a significant reason to show concern about the messages these animated films deliver to young female viewers.