Changing Feminism and Political Correctness in Disney’s The Little Mermaid Film Series

Abstract

Disney produced both animation films and live-action adaptations of classic fairytales which reflect transforming gender representations. The purpose of this article is to conduct a comparative analysis of gender representations and political correctness in Disney’s The Little Mermaid (1989) and the live-action adaptation, The Little Mermaid (2023). In the light of feminism, the 1989 animation film is to be critically re-examined by comparing it with the original fairytale authored by Hans Christian Andersen and by paying attention to the gender representation and the role of Princess Ariel. Although gender stereotypes are observable in animation films, this research also sheds light on feminist elements in animated films. Moreover, this article seeks to substantiate that the production of the 2023 live-action remake was influenced by feminist philosophy and political correctness by investigating the changing gender norms and racial diversity facilitated by Disney as a major media company that has influenced the global media culture in the world.