Dr. Rebecca Hains
Author, professor and speaker | Children's media culture, media literacy, and media criticism
Category: movies
In Disney’s ‘Cinderella,’ courage and kindness are a victim’s strengths, but a film’s weakness
Ella’s “choice” to submit graciously to her stepfamily’s abuse is given no context in Disney’s new film, and that’s a problem.
Read MoreWhat’s the problem with pink and princess? The marketing, not the moms.
This week, New York and Slate published pieces asking why so many moms have a problem with pink and with princesses. “What’s the problem with pink, anyway?” griped Yael Kohen in New York. Then, building upon Kohen’s piece, Slate senior editor Allison Benedikt demanded: “What…
Read MoreThe sad story of Princess Leira: a retelling of a well-known tale
I’m going to tell you a story you already know. (Tell me when you recognize it.) ——- Leira is a princess of a magical kingdom on Earth–a beautiful, shimmering land of lush forests and colorful meadows near a picturesque mountain…
Read MoreReimagining Disney Princesses with racial diversity: From Tumblr to D-Tech
A couple of weeks ago, a young woman named Lauren reimagined the white Disney Princess characters as women of color, posting recolored images of them on her Tumblr blog. Her inspired designs quickly made their way around the blogosphere. Responses ranged…
Read MoreDisney-Pixar’s Brave: Critiquing the criticisms
I saw Brave the day it debuted in theaters, and I’m glad that Merida is a different kind of princess–one who can be read as a critique of both the trope that princesses are passive and the trend to tell…
Read MoreKatniss vs Merida: Mattel’s doll versions of strong girl characters
Last month, Mattel released a Katniss Everdeen doll, inspired by the look and style of Jennifer Lawrence in the Hunger Games film. Compared with Mattel’s typical fare, the Katniss doll was refreshingly unsexualized–reflecting the character’s positive portrayal in the film (which…
Read MoreKatniss Everdeen: The First Post-Girl Power Hero
When I saw The Hunger Games on its opening weekend, I was really struck by something: Although the sexualization of girls and women is rampant in the media, Katniss Everdeen is not sexualized. Not at all. Take a look at these…
Read MoreCan a Princess Dare to Dream of More?
“When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true.” – Pinocchio, 1940 For over 70 years, making dreams come true has been a major theme of Disney. Lately, princesses have been at the center of that theme–and with princesses…
Read MoreIt’s no joke: The Lorax trailers make punchline at women’s expense
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss is classic tale of environmental conscience, and it is a story that my three-year-old son enjoys. In fact, it was one of the first longer children’s books that managed to keep his attention for the entire…
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Dr. Rebecca Hains 
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