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Disney. What comes to mind? Colourful characters, magical adventures, and a world of dreams and entertainment? Or perhaps, "the happiest place on earth"? In reality, Disney is the world's second-largest media conglomerate, accused of being a sinister organization committed to the exploitation of our children for monetary gain.
Yes, it's true. The corporate superpower, endorsed by parents and their children worldwide, is finally being challenged on the basis of disturbing claims that its films promote racial and gender stereotyping. Though these allegations may seem ludicrous, one has only to look beyond the gaudy animation and presumably innocent childhood themes to discover the truth.

I can recall numerous childhood memories, many of which involve some aspect of "The Wonderful World of Disney": family vacations at the Magic Kingdom; crunching popcorn during Aladdin; and the overwhelming amount of Disney memorabilia scattered throughout my house, everything from lamps and picture books to stuffed animals and placemats. (In addition to movies, children are bombarded with every imaginable Disney medium, thereby increasing the mega-company's destructive influence.) As a six year-old Mickey Mouse enthusiast, I did not recognize the depraved subliminal messages to which I was being exposed.
Take Beauty and the Beast. A charming love story in which the viewer learns that "true beauty begins on the inside"? Think again. This universally beloved classic actually imparts two very frightening messages. First, it trivializes the role of women by glorifying the ideals of patriarchal societies; Belle, like many female Disney heroes, is only fulfilled upon being swept away by her perpetually handsome Prince Charming. Second, Belle's inane tolerance of the Beast's violent behaviour gives the impression that abusive relationships can be resolved if the victim "sticks with it". It gets worse. The following are examples of other offending Disney films: the insulting and ignorant portrayal of Natives in Pocahontas and Peter Pan; the gender clichs in Snow White and Cinderella; and the stereotypical representation of minority groups, who are painted as unintelligent and poor contributors to society, as in The Lion King and The Lady and the Tramp. Are these the values that we want our children to acquire?
If this isn't horrifying enough, Disney recognizes these harmful messages, whether they are deliberately or unintentionally inserted. However, the company has done nothing to fix the problem! This is not surprising, considering owner Michael Eisner's declaration that "to make money is our only objective". This attitude is sickening, when one conceives the millions of children who worship their favourite Disney characters. Thus it is up to this generation of parents to put an end to the corruption of our youth by the corporate monster that is Disney. In a world where greed and commercialism outweigh the moral development of children, there is no other choice but to strike down the Mouse.

Learn more about this author, Allie Lahn.
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