- Part 1, "Of Iconic Mice and a Global Corporation of Men"
- Part 2, "He's Rather Tasty"
- Part 3, "Can Your Friends Do This?"
- Part 4, "The Curves"
- Part 5, "Ultimate, Cosmic Power"
- Part 6, "I'm the Most Famous Person in all of Greece! I'm an Action Figure!"
A Whole New World?
Beginning at a very early age, all aspects of our society aim to socialize boys into a narrowly defined window of heterosexuality, violent and dominating behaviour, and stunted emotional growth. If young boys idolize fictional characters to such an extent, and the influence of cultural media is increasing, is there any hope for their healthy gender socialization? With the rise in popularity of non-traditionally masculine actors - such as Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse - stepping into principle media roles and children's programs featuring an increased variety of body types and skill sets, such as Dreamworks' Kung Fu Panda and How To Train Your Dragon, one can be hopeful that a new, more inclusive definition of masculine heroism is dawning in the media.
On the other hand, the generation that was primarily influenced by the Disney cartoons and gender implications of the 1990's are now entering the process of rearing the next generation. It is as important now as ever that parents be constantly aware of the extraordinary influence of cultural media on children's socialization and to critically evaluate child-directed programming so that young boys may be offered an increased variety of role models to follow. This will provide them with greater opportunities to develop all aspects of their identities beyond the limited and limiting representations of the masculine experience as offered by the heroes of classic Disney animated films.
On the other hand, the generation that was primarily influenced by the Disney cartoons and gender implications of the 1990's are now entering the process of rearing the next generation. It is as important now as ever that parents be constantly aware of the extraordinary influence of cultural media on children's socialization and to critically evaluate child-directed programming so that young boys may be offered an increased variety of role models to follow. This will provide them with greater opportunities to develop all aspects of their identities beyond the limited and limiting representations of the masculine experience as offered by the heroes of classic Disney animated films.
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