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Gender is constituted in time - an identity instituted through a stylized repetition of acts. Further, gender is instituted through the stylization of the body and, hence, must be understood as the mundane way in which bodily gestures, movements, and enactments of various kinds constitute the illusion of an abiding gendered self.” (Butler 1988: 519).
In other words, gender is not something ingrained in us, but rather a social construct with which we actively choose to comply. Mulan performs as an ‘unrefined’ female character, as she displays the characteristics of a tomboy. My identity as a female has been constructed through how women are ‘supposed to’ act - wearing makeup and dresses, having long hair being polite, etc. This indicates that gender does not exist before it has been performed as well as nothing within your identity is fixed (Gauntlett 2002: 135). When Mulan joins the army, she is performing as a man. Mulan performs as an ‘unrefined’ female character, as she displays the characteristics of a tomboy. However, she does not challenge gender stereotypes, as she succeeds by acting like a man and abandoning her girl-like weaknesses, suggesting that women can only be strong if they do not act like women. Mulan performs as an ‘unrefined’ female character, as she displays the characteristics of a tomboy.
The notion that women are to be homemakers is prominent in the first 10 minutes of the film. The song “Honour to Us All” shows eligible women parading while dressed as a doll to be matched with a husband, which will bring honor to her family. The consequence of not conforming is destroying her family’s image. She disgraces herself in front of the matchmaker, which leads to the song “Reflections”, where Mulan considers the duality of her identity - she has been asked by her family to fulfill a role of conservative femininity, yet she knows she will never be the person her family expects. She rebels against these expectations and joins the army in place of her father.
In the camp, she is met with signs of classic masculinity: boastfulness, roughness, and repellant social habits such as spitting and picking their toes. This image of masculinity is the total opposite of the vision of traditional femininity, as experienced with the matchmaker. Mulan reinforces the stereotypical ideas of masculinity in the scene where Li Shang, the Captain, sings the song “I’ll Make a Man Out of You”. Masculinity is defined by power, strength, and activity. The lyrics portray the clichéd representation of men because it asserts that they are the only sex who are worthy to fight - “Let's get down to business, to defeat the Huns. Did they send me daughters when I asked for sons?”. Li Shang aims to “make a man” out of the recruits. Not only is this scene discriminatory to women, but it also presses that having womanly qualities is not acceptable in war.
Many action films during the 20th century portray females as damsels. To bring more prominent female heroes into light, filmmakers tried to combat this by showing them as strong characters. However, all they did was give women more masculine qualities such as strength and agility. They would have to prove themselves against a man to show they possess such qualities. This rigidity indoctrinates young women, feminine men, and other genders to feel insecure about not being strong enough or worthy of life because they do not naturally display traditionally masculine tendencies.
The fluidity of sexuality, like gender, sets Mulan apart from other animation films. It produces a narrative that continues to work as a benchmark. Mulan skips romance and embraces this element in a way we rarely see. Mulan reinforces female gender roles in the song “You’ll Bring Honour to Us All,” in which Mulan is preparing to see the matchmaker who will transform her into a bride. This scene highlights the idea that a woman can only bring honor to her family by becoming a bride: a servant to the man who is there to pour tea and be gracious. The film portrays the message that a woman’s main goals should be to find a husband, marry, and take care of the home. Watching this film discourages girls from a young age from trying to pursue a career, and instead makes them desire to find love and become a wife above all. Despite some feminist images, Mulan is not free from stereotypes and gender roles. This film may be more harmful, as it conceals gender inequality by shielding it within overarching messages of female empowerment.
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