As a teacher, I’ve worked with a number of students who have had parents who were less than supportive of who they were. So it’s been exciting to see some of my friends become parents recently, especially knowing that their kids will be loved no matter their gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, differing abilities, and the list could go on.
But even with the most supportive parents and family, kids are going to get some messages from the media, their peers, and society that don’t affirm who they are. Messages that tell them “if a, then b.” If this is true about your identity, then this also must be true about your personality.
How do you send a child out into the world, knowing all the challenges they’re going to be up against? Or as Anne Lamott puts it in Operating Instructions, how do you bring a kid into the world, knowing someday they have to go through 7th and 8th grade? You can’t shield them from the negativity that’s out there, the negativity that would have them hide their light away.
Which is why I want to offer Rick Goodman’s technique. Expose them to all the mainstream cartoons they want (or see at a friend’s birthday party), but provide a feminist review.
Credit where credit is due, the idea to capture what my dad said during the movies we watched growing up came to me after reading The New Yorker’s humor piece titled Ayn Rand Reviews Children’s Movies.
Some of the movie reviews are direct quotes from Rick Goodman. Others are the general ideas he tried to convey. I hope you enjoy, and I hope any kids you raise enter the world with a fierce social justice lens.
Snow White “Two mother figures, one absent, one evil. What a great stereotype to perpetuate Walt, thanks a lot.” One star
Boy Meets World: First Episode of the College Season “Topanga didn’t go to Yale?!?!” One star
Little Mermaid “Another absent mother. That’s what I’m focusing on to ignore the part where she gives up her voice for a prince she just met.” One star
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope “The Rebel Alliance (of Baptists) took down the Death Star (of patriarchy) by blowing it up (by ordaining women, folk who are LGBTQ, and partnering with radical groups in developing countries).” - Four stars
Buffy: Season 7 “I’m so over this misogynist priest guy. Buffy needs to cut him into a million pieces.” Four stars (after she splits him in two)
Mulan “There was a lot of action in this movie, and Mulan had some great adventures. But why does she have to choose at the end between an amazing job opportunity with the Emperor and her family?” - Three stars
Avatar “So the white guy becomes the savior for an indigenous population having their land exploited? These producers should have read a history book, preferably by Zinn. The special effects were cool.” Two stars
Friends: The Last Episode “Rachel had a great job opportunity in France. Why didn’t Ross go to France if he was so in love with her?” One star
Sleeping Beauty “Another absent mother. And some royal classism from the fairy godmothers saying Aurora can’t marry someone beneath her.” One star
Daredevil “Lots of good fight scenes. But I didn’t like it when the CIA tortured people, and I don’t like it when Daredevil does it.” Three stars
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (seen on a plane from Kansas to D.C.) “Another lead role with a great career prospect, why did she have to turn down the job to stay with her boyfriend?” No stars.
Beauty and the Beast “I like Belle because she reads so much, but we’ve got yet another absent mother, and she falls for her kidnapper?” Two stars
Smallville “This is like Dawson Creek but with superpowers. And what are those mountains in the background! You can’t see mountains like that when you’re in Kansas!” Two stars
Aladdin “It’s getting tiring to point out this absent mother thing. And a lot of negative stereotypes about the Middle East in this movie.” One star
Avengers “I liked it when the Hulk punched Thor. And Black Widow was cool, but why do female superheroes always have to have a ‘dark past’? Why can’t they just kick some butt like all the other superheroes?” Four stars
Peter Pan “This movie has some good action scenes, but unfortunately some racist portrayals of Native Americans.” One star
The Dark Knight Rises “Catwoman, another female with superpowers who has to have a dark and elusive past. Also the hero has to do more than some extra push-ups to be able to climb out of the cave and make a comeback.” Two stars
Man of Steel “Lois Lane is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, of course she would immediately run that story to the ground! Well done directors.” Four stars
Follow That Bird “This movie is great. A band of lovable misfits convince Miss Finch the value of diversity and dispel the myth of the nuclear family by saving their friend. Action, adventure, and a song by guest star Waylon Jennings. Plus some great quotes: ‘Don’t forget to breathe, in and out!’ Something for the whole family.” Five stars
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