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Mulan is a 1998 American animated musical adventure film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation for Walt Disney Pictures. It is based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan and was Disney's 36th animated feature and the ninth animated film produced and released during the Disney Renaissance. It was directed by Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook. Mulan is the only child of an aging war veteran. She disregards both tradition and the law by disguising herself as a man in order to enlist herself in the army in lieu of her feeble father. This distinguished 'Mulan' from others because, unlike other movies, films, or other forms of media that tend to entertain their audiences, this film has a significant influence and changes in society's perspective and beliefs about gender, which may benefit not only women but the entire society. Since then, this gives a clear message that shows gender as a socially constructed concept, where women receive less value and are viewed as sexual objects, which is being portrayed in other movies (based on the cultural perspective) and, on the contrary, prioritized and highlighted men as powerful, strong, and superior to women in many aspects.
This is why, among the Disney films, Mulan becomes my number one favorite and makes me feel powerful and capable of doing anything by simply letting us (women) free ourselves from the ideas that we should be pretty, wear dresses, make up, and act feminine like other Disney characters such as Cinderella and wait for a man to save us (which is according to our cultural perspective, especially in the Philippines), which relates to Bartky when he states that 'women are controlled by society more because they have to regulate their appearances with makeup, certain clothes, and behaviors' (Bartky, 1997:26). And, to understand that we can do more and be capable of anything more than society's expectations of us, which empowers women and gives the motivation to succeed in life and overcome stereotypes that oppress women, and to encourage society to treat women as humans, not objects.
In the book, The Second Wave, states: 'All women live in objectification the way fish live in water.' (Mackinnon, 1997:171). In other words, women are seen as objects, and for the same reason, they are not allowed to talk or take decisions without a man`s permission. This is being observed in our country, especially in the traditional family (patriarch), where a man has the power in the decision-making of the family and a woman (wife) is good for supporting the decisions made by the head of the family (man). Such rules or systems that our country and China both adapted and serve as a hindrance to Mulan's joining the army to save her father's life from death in joining the army and let her disguise as a man in order to get rid of her weak (female) appearance (wearing dresses, make-up, acting feminine). But in the end, reveals the truth that our strength and abilities will never be defined by our gender since Mulan proves and emphasizes strength in femininity, not only through physical power but by becoming a strong female.
In the beginning, the first song of the film 'Honor to Us All' also points out how important it is for a man to find a woman with a small waist, dress pretty, and wear make-up. The song lyrics emphasize the importance of a female having a small waist in order to be loved by a man. Also, aside from their physical appearance, in the film, Mulan is forced to fake a smile so she can be liked by men. This reminded me of Bartky's reading when he says that women are often encouraged to smile more than men. Smiling is part of women`s work; they have to do it everywhere at every time. He calls it the 'Economy of Smile.' (Bartky, 1997:23). This is also reflected in Filipino culture, particularly in previous generations, where it is forbidden for women to look ugly and should act according to their sex in order to find a man who will truly love them. But, when Mulan rebels against society's standards and joins the army, she has this chance to prove that females can break the stereotypes, which is shown in the part of the film where Mulan defeats Shan-Yu using her intelligence.
The film Mulan also reflects on the current issue in our society when Mulan experiences self-doubt about her sexuality and gender. This relates to teens and LGBT people who struggle to find their true selves, especially with the sexuality they have in a society that will surely condemn them and will bring disappointment to their own families. That may result in a much more alarming situation where 'LGBT youth may experience a disruption in the parent-child attachment if they are rejected based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.' Parental rejection of LGBT youth negatively affects the youth's identity and health. ' Katz, et al. (2016). The same is true for Mulan, who is taught that she fails to be a perfect daughter and bride by simply not acting according to society's standards assigned to her gender. Also, it shows another issue when Li Shang fell in love with Mulan during the training in her man disguise (a homosexual romance), which is considered 'abnormal' (according to Cohen) because it does not fit into our society and is marginalized. Cohen states, 'Institutions see heterosexuality and heterosexual relationships in society as natural' (Cohen, 1997:440). Another part of the film that highlights sexuality is when they start singing 'A Girl Worth Fighting For'. This song basically talks about what a traditional and acceptable woman should look like or act like, where it is noticeable that Li Shang did not join in singing the song, which means that he does not care about traditional ideas of sexuality and gender norms because he feels attracted to Ping (Mulan). That proves that people fall in love not with the appearance of an individual but with their personality.
Li Shang's feelings for Ping (Mulan) made him forgive her when he found out her true gender and continued to be with her to fight and save their country, which changed their cultural perspectives that oppressed women and their sexuality, embracing sexuality and gender, and finally, promoting the strength of femininity over physical power. This story teaches us that both genders deserve respect, despite their culture, beliefs, physical appearance, and skin color. A true man will not oppress women, and will not look at their appearance but at the heart and personality, an individual possesses.
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