The Not-So-Cute Fairy
Tinkerbell. Peter Pan called her "Tink". I never really thought too much about her, until recently.
About two or three months ago, my dear friend Laura was recounting her experience of taking her daughter to see a movie, only to be horrified at the trailers for a new movie. You know the one. Tinkerbell has a sexed-up, doe-eyed posse that Disney is hard-marketing to the young set. If you don't think she's sexed up, please go get yourself a new set of eyeballs. Seriously.
"It's as if the camera is panning up, starting with her feet and stopping at her butt. It was disgusting and slutty and totally inappropriate." Okay, I didn't press her for a direct quote for this, but I do know that the words "slutty" and "disgusting" were uttered. My sister Amanda concurred with this camera action; my nephews had seen the trailer as well and I'm very sure she was disgusted, only in a different way. She doesn't want her sons to become lookist, sexist pigs.
So, here's my question: why Tinkerbell? Is the Disney memory so short? Do we not remember that in Peter Pan, she was in love with Peter, an asexual boy who seems to be quite a bit her junior, especially if you notice that she shows signs of sexual maturation (breasts, hips) while he doesn't have the broader chest or lowered voice of a fully-realized male? If that isn't weird enough, pull this out of your memory banks--she did try to have Wendy killed out of jealousy. Not good. Not at all. Sure, she repented, but man, what a screwed up relationship.
And now this is the character they've chosen to hard sell to impressionable children. Yuck.
The merchandise is everywhere; you can't go to store without a phalanx of Pixie Hollow books aimed right at the eye level of youngsters. Laura and I shared a couple beers last night and she told me that when she dropped her child off at IKEA's play area, those 'slutty fairies' were on the dvd player. She was a bit appalled at the hold it had on her daughter, who had been excited about going on one of the play attractions and was instead enthralled at the craptacular vision onscreen.
Moms, seriously, some of you will think I need to lighten up, but keep your kids away from this garbage. If you have any trouble explaining this to your girls, tell them that she's wanted for conspiracy in an attempted murder and you just don't like them to play with bad girls. And then, go buy them something good. Maybe the Little House on the Prairie series (yes the book, not the Michael Landon distorted sobfest). Give them some imaginary friends they can look up to.
About two or three months ago, my dear friend Laura was recounting her experience of taking her daughter to see a movie, only to be horrified at the trailers for a new movie. You know the one. Tinkerbell has a sexed-up, doe-eyed posse that Disney is hard-marketing to the young set. If you don't think she's sexed up, please go get yourself a new set of eyeballs. Seriously.
"It's as if the camera is panning up, starting with her feet and stopping at her butt. It was disgusting and slutty and totally inappropriate." Okay, I didn't press her for a direct quote for this, but I do know that the words "slutty" and "disgusting" were uttered. My sister Amanda concurred with this camera action; my nephews had seen the trailer as well and I'm very sure she was disgusted, only in a different way. She doesn't want her sons to become lookist, sexist pigs.
So, here's my question: why Tinkerbell? Is the Disney memory so short? Do we not remember that in Peter Pan, she was in love with Peter, an asexual boy who seems to be quite a bit her junior, especially if you notice that she shows signs of sexual maturation (breasts, hips) while he doesn't have the broader chest or lowered voice of a fully-realized male? If that isn't weird enough, pull this out of your memory banks--she did try to have Wendy killed out of jealousy. Not good. Not at all. Sure, she repented, but man, what a screwed up relationship.
And now this is the character they've chosen to hard sell to impressionable children. Yuck.
The merchandise is everywhere; you can't go to store without a phalanx of Pixie Hollow books aimed right at the eye level of youngsters. Laura and I shared a couple beers last night and she told me that when she dropped her child off at IKEA's play area, those 'slutty fairies' were on the dvd player. She was a bit appalled at the hold it had on her daughter, who had been excited about going on one of the play attractions and was instead enthralled at the craptacular vision onscreen.
Moms, seriously, some of you will think I need to lighten up, but keep your kids away from this garbage. If you have any trouble explaining this to your girls, tell them that she's wanted for conspiracy in an attempted murder and you just don't like them to play with bad girls. And then, go buy them something good. Maybe the Little House on the Prairie series (yes the book, not the Michael Landon distorted sobfest). Give them some imaginary friends they can look up to.
Comments
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