7. Merida - Brave
I spend more time than I ought to on Facebook. There are some times that I flat-out refuse to even look at my account and these instances are usually caused by the fact that I vote Democrat and many of my friends hate anyone who's not a Republican. I thought that putting up with the fallout of Obama getting re-elected would be the most explosive part of having a Facebook account. And then Disney/Pixar suggested altering Merida's image to make her more like the other Disney princesses. If you ever wonder if your friends are feminist in any way, go look up their opinions on this:
Merida is a wee Scottish lass whose mother is always lecturing her on what princesses do ("be knowledgeable about her kingdom" and "rises early") and "dinna" ("chortle," "make doodle" or "stuff her gob"). She has uncontrollable red hair and a broad, friendly face. She's a willful, rebellious teenager who gets in way over her head. One of the best parts of the movie is when she declares that she will decide for herself whom to love. In a clearly patriarchal society, she stands up for her right to rule her own life. But that's not what impresses me most. Part of what I demand of my feminism is respect for matriarchy. I don't believe that women are oppressed if they are mothers or wives and as a feminist, I hold myself to the requirement that I honor those who do choose that path. Merida stands at odds with her mother and the tear in the tapestry of her family is more than a metaphor. This coming-of-age animated feature is about a young woman coming to terms with her role as a woman and her mother, a strong woman in her own right, embracing the wisdom of her young woman of a daughter. So, yes, I insist on keeping Merida in her original form. She is a girl whose wisdom predates her use of lipstick and I don't want that changed.