User:Cpara2/sandbox

Article Evaluation:

Title: Criticism of the Walt Disney Company (specifically the 'Sexism' sub-section)

• Is everything in the article relevant to the article topic? Is there anything that distracted you?
  • The information is relevant to the topic, however, the section is very brief and only relies on a single instance of sexism present in the Disney company, without taking into account the actually movies that are created.
• Is the article neutral? Are there any claims, or frames, that appear heavily biased toward a particular position?
  • The article is neutral, it simply states facts of an isolated scenario that happened between Meryl Streep shaming Disney for a sexist letter from the 1930's that was rediscovered.
• Are there viewpoints that are overrepresented, or underrepresented?
  • The viewpoint that I conducted my research on, the fact that all Disney princesses represent feminism, is clearly underrepresented. However, since the article needs to be strictly factual, I will try to incorporate this viewpoint without being biased.
• Check a few citations. Do the links work? Does the source support the claims in the article?
  • There are only 5 sources cited in this section. They all work and support the claims, however, they are all leaning towards the one specific incident without addressing sexism among the franchise as a whole.
• Is each fact referenced with an appropriate, reliable reference? Where does the information come from? Are these neutral sources? If biased, is that bias noted?
  • Each fact is supported by a source that does not appear to be biased.
• Is any information out of date? Is anything missing that could be added?
  • The isolated incident that is described happened in 2014, and there is no other evidence to support the section of sexism in this article. I feel that information about the movies themselves showing sexist or anti feminist ideals should be incorporated.
• Check out the Talk page of the article. What kinds of conversations, if any, are going on behind the scenes about how to represent this topic?
  • Wikipedia made it a point to note that this page is a controversial issue so there is a large amount of discussion among certain groups. The Talk page showed a lot of source edits/additions, and also reminded other editors to keep opinions out of the article.
• How is the article rated? Is it a part of any WikiProjects?
  • It is part of several WikiProjects including WikiProject Disney, which named it Top- Importance
• How does the way Wikipedia discusses this topic differ from the way we've talked about it in class?
  • Wikipedia does an excellent job of keeping the section unbiased. With my research, I am just aiming to add to the singular section based on my paper and build upon it to encompass more than one example.

Classwork 4/24:

All three of my edits will be additions to the 'sexism' section of "Criticism of the Walt Disney Company"

1. I will add info on Snow White being seen as anti feminist (2 edits)
   1. info: "The incredibly popular Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) featured a female protagonist who fit the domestic expectations of pre-World War II women... After the early 1930s, when strong leading women prospered in the wake of liberated flappers and newly-won suffrage, a heavy increase in censorship began to limit female characters in action and dialogue...and the embrace of Snow White’s pure maiden innocence," (Stover).
   2. info: "The very first Disney princess drew on associations of traditional femininity, indicating the widespread encouragement of these traits within 1930’s American culture. The Great Depression left tens of thousands of people jobless, and the competition for labor combined with Catholic moral reform movements fostered a national desire for women to return to the home, a mentality that was widely represented in 1930’s commercial media.," (Stover).
   3. source: Stover, Cassandra (2013) "Damsels and Heroines: The Conundrum of the Post-Feminist Disney Princess," LUX: A Journal of Transdisciplinary Writing and Research from Claremont Graduate University: Vol. 2: Iss. 1, Article 29.
2. newer princesses
   1. info: "With its release of The Little Mermaid (1989), Disney underwent a shift towards a "New Wave" of princess films, which transformed the damsel into a heroine of sorts, with both a voice and a desire for adventure. This new approach ushered in two decades of go-getting, proactive heroines, with progressive qualities and character traits that corresponded completely to the increasingly acceptable gender roles in a society where women hold the same jobs as men,"
   2. source: Stover, Cassandra (2013) "Damsels and Heroines: The Conundrum of the Post-Feminist Disney Princess," LUX: A Journal of Transdisciplinary Writing and Research from Claremont Graduate University: Vol. 2: Iss. 1, Article 29.
3. newer princesses
   1. info: "Belle, Ariel, Pocahontas, Tiana, Meg, and Mulan all express a desire to escape from their surroundings. In tune with post-feminism strategies, Disney often appropriated the rhetoric of feminism with quips like when Jasmine states that “I am not a prize to be won,” or when Belle sings “I want so much more than they’ve got planned.” This sense of powerful spirit coupled with a longing for change positions these new Disney princesses as a representation of the prefeminist woman, constrained by society through marriage pressure, royal status, or even having fins instead of legs," (Stover).
   2. source: Stover, Cassandra (2013) "Damsels and Heroines: The Conundrum of the Post-Feminist Disney Princess," LUX: A Journal of Transdisciplinary Writing and Research from Claremont Graduate University: Vol. 2: Iss. 1, Article 29.

Shared my plans on the Talk page of the article on 4/30/2018

Final Edits Drafted:

The Walt Disney Company has also been criticized for the lack of feminist values seen the older, original Disney Princesses. Snow White in particular, is under constant criticism for her lack of feminist ideals. The film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) features a main protagonist whom at the time, fit the domestic and docile expectations of women in the pre-World War 2 era. Snow White is displayed on screen covered in a long dress, embelished with a white collar, puffy sleeves, red cape, and a red bow constraining her hair; a traditioanl, modest look on feminity by revealing minimal skin. Through her actions portrayed in the movie, she draws on the traditional femininity that was encouraged in 1930's American culture. In the midst of The Great Depression, women were encouraged to return to the home and care for the household; a theme that is widely displayed in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). However, with the second resurgence of Disney movies, known as the Disney Renaissance, beginning in 1989 until 1999, Disney transformed the damsel in distress into a strong woman with the desire for adventure. This new approach ushered in a decade of go-getting, proactive heroines, who possessed character traits that coincided with the new era of acceptable gender roles in a society where women hold the same jobs as men. This is evident in princesses such as Ariel from The Little Mermaid (1989), and Belle from Beauty and the Beast (1991).