Can a Cartoon Movie Really Be Sexist? Pixar, Kids, and Toy Story 3
Pixar is no stranger to accusations of gender bias—nor is Hollywood, obvs—but Ms magazine is the latest to point a finger at the production company, this time for sexism in Toy Story 3. With help from the The Geena Davis Institute on Gender and Media, Ms gives us the following data:
* Out of 7 new toy characters, only one is female—far worse than the 3-1 average in children’s media as a whole.
* The boy’s mother is a) nameless and b) a nag.
* The film is peppered with jokes about how women should be quiet, are hilarious when they say something smart, and really only care about romance.
* Ken (of Barbie and Ken) is portrayed as an effete closet-case who writes in sparkly purple pen but defends his manhood by whining, “I am not a girl toy!” The take-away: the worst thing you can be is a girl. The second worst thing you be is a gay boy.
This nice little photo montage, brought to you by Film School Rejects, is a great sampling of all our favorite Pixar leads. But… ahem: where are all the women?
-jessica
