Corpos padrões versus mulheres plurais: o impacto do feminismo negro na padronização da beleza feminina nos estúdios Walt Disney (2009-2023)

Abstract

Throughout history, bodies have been important protagonists in the construction of social power and the status of beauty. In relation to social power, patriarchy is largely responsible for the inequalities of bodies, since gender violence causes men to establish criteria for what would be the best and worst bodies, the beautiful and the ugly, based on body mass, race and social class, creating objectification and a competitive and hateful relationship between women. With regard to all these historical and social issues, the American film industry in Hollywood has presented these points since its inception and has strong elements that can still be found today. Thus, this article seeks to understand how one of Hollywood's main film companies, Walt Disney, has contributed to creating and affirming unattainable standards of female beauty and behavior, and how it has responded to feminist movements fighting for the recognition of body diversity, based on an analysis of two films from this institution, The Princess and the Frog from 2009 and Wish: The Power of Wishes from 2023. The aim is to assess the extent to which changes can be observed in the characterization of female characters, taking into account the demands of feminist movements and the representations of women in advertisements for women's products at the time the film was made. Finally, it is proposed that the films be used in the classroom to encourage students to reflect on the importance of debating and combating gender stereotypes, so that the diversity of bodies and identities can be recognized and valued.