While the proportion of women and ethnic minorities in the labor force has increased, there is still a large occupational difference between women and men. In fact, there are only 23 female CEOs in the 500 largest companies in the US, and only two of them are minorities. Since maternal and domestic responsibilities are constructed as the primary role of females, they constantly need to fight entrenched gender stereotypes to prove that women can do jobs as well as men can. Many mothers are systemically disadvantaged when trying to balance a family and a career, particularly if they are employed in a male-dominated organization. Disney films and other cultural influences created stereotypes that caused challenges for women, particularly women of color and mothers, to navigate a career path successfully. By exploring Disney’s exposition on gender construction and ideology of the “standard” or “ideal” individual and the development of racial bias in young children, this essay will demonstrate how these ideals influence women of color and mothers in the workplace.
Children develop a bias from a very early age, and Disney plays a critical role in this development. As it relates to race and ethnicity, Disney suggests that, white, fair complexion is standard, and portray villains as dark and evil. Through a study in which children were presented with white and black dolls, the majority of children showed a preference for white dolls and characterized black dolls with looking bad. In a different study, children were asked to show an image that represented them, and the findings showed that a majority of black students identified with white children. Why is this the case? The media reflects white people in superior positions – living in better houses, richer, and in positions of power. Children absorb these ideas and attitudes and want to be associated with the more privileged race. When they realize that it is advantageous to be white, they regard white people with greater respect than black people. (Moreland 122) Regarding gender construction, Disney films, especially the earlier ones, suggest that a woman’s worth is tied to her beauty and maternal traits. Powerful women are evil, consent has little meaning, and no matter how good natured or strong a female is, a male always has to come to the rescue. “The Disney company reinvents history as a pedagogical and political tool to secure its own interests, authority, and power.” (Giroux 46) Disney films have become known for modifying history with seemingly innocent narratives that consist of strict gender roles and xenophobia, with America defined as white and middle class.
Early developed biases and the intersection of gender and race related oppression have a damaging impact on women of color in the workforce. From the media, society has the expectation that women should fulfill more domestic responsibilities, like cooking and nurturing. In the study by Young Hwa Kim and Karen M. O’Brien, career barriers among racially diverse women were explored. They tested 100 women from various ethnicity groups: Asian, African American, Latina, and White college women, taking into consideration self-efficacy beliefs, outcome expectations, and personal goals. While the women did not differ in career interests and aspirations, the resulting statistics were significant indicating women of color are more likely to experience career barriers due to racial discrimination than white women. More specifically, Asians possess a lack of confidence, African Americans experience sexism and racism, and Latina women have educational barriers due to financial concerns. “Systemic sexism and racism in the workplace prevent young women from having access to diverse occupations, achieving academic success, and using their abilities.” (Kim and O’Brien)
When women become mothers, a new set of challenges emerges. Association with the media shapes cultural expectations on what it means to be a mother. Motherhood changes the construction of a woman’s identity, such that she has no identity of her own. Her identity is then fully appropriated by the maternal function. Females should not have to renounce being women in order to be mothers, as men do not renounce being men when they become fathers. In Disney films, “the typical mother is absent, generously good, powerfully evil, or a silent other, a mirror that conforms the child’s identity without interference from hers. Mothers exist primarily to nurture and encourage their children in benevolent ways, often sacrificing themselves to do so.” (Haas 196) Cultural myths and everyday situations and associations become part of what it means to be a mother. Since motherhood is constructed as a female’s primary role, many mothers are systemically disadvantaged when trying to balance a family and a career, particularly if they are employed in a male-dominated organization. Employment is viewed as something women undertake for their own satisfaction and independence, even if their income is essential for the family. (Herman and Lewis 770) Due to gendered assumptions about a female in a domestic, at home role, a mother’s decision to return to work after maternity leave is usually framed as a choice. Many women leave work to stay at home after having children or hit a career standstill. Some find they need to conceal their motherhood, or trade time off with their family for career progress, thus conforming to cultural expectations of constant availability in order to maintain both their identity as a woman and their professional identity. “Entrenched and gendered ideology of the importance of availability and visibility can obscure what is often the greater efficiency of those achieving their outputs in shorter hours.” (Herman and Lewis 785) While some updated workplace policies help women sustain employment, many face negative career consequences. Without the right support system, this burden can become unsustainable. Few mothers feel entitled to diverge from ideal career patterns without disadvantage. In Science, Engineering, and Technology (SET) companies, women are underrepresented, especially at the more senior levels. Herman and Lewis interviewed three women who achieved senior roles despite working reduced hours to learn more about what kind of conditions can facilitate their sustainable careers and caring roles. They wanted to know how SET professionals define their situations in terms of their perceived sense of entitlement to modify work for family and at the same time develop sustainable careers. They also wanted to know how cultural perceptions and normal parenting beliefs contribute to shaping their sense of entitlement to sustainable careers. One of the reasons all three women were successful was they demonstrated efficiency by traditional work patterns before asking to reduce their hours. Despite their success, the women gave feedback such as facing additional stress, by having to combat assumptions about their parenting roles. They were perceived as immoral mothers and endeavored to keep childcare commitments as invisible as possible. Albeit some differences in dynamics, all three mothers wholeheartedly agreed that employers make assumptions (due to a mother’s stereotypical caring role) that the ideal worker is constantly able to work, and that flexibility overrides a mother with limited hours. Even though some mothers accomplished more in less times, those efforts were not recognized by employers.
In conclusion, Disney films and other cultural influences created stereotypes that caused challenges for women, particularly women of color and mothers, to navigate a career path successfully. This proves the importance of developing interventions to reduce barriers due to gender and racial discrimination. Failure to provide opportunities for learning about race differences inhibits a child’s understanding of others. Silence about race differences can be interpreted as agreement cultural stereotypes. Parents, guardians, and teachers should deal objectively with race, and provide a setting in which children of different races can associate on the basis of equality. In addition, it is important to present accurate information to children about race and race differences to mitigate untrue conceptions of racial superiority that can cause bias and prejudice. Accurate information can challenge incorrect beliefs that support bias and prejudice and can at least make such support shift to other grounds. To reduce career barriers due to gender and racial discrimination, an increased overall awareness of oppressive environment conditions is necessary. A safe space should be created for women to connect to identify, address, and work to eliminate obstacles that block career prosperity. Minority women may also benefit from specifically designed programs to understand the impact of barriers and how they might develop strategies to cope with obstacles to achievement. (Kim and O’Brien) Counselors can advocate for the needs of women across different racial and ethnic groups in higher education and the labor market. When it comes to mothers in the workforce, companies should recognize that well intentioned work-life policies are not enough to change values that have been woven into culture for years. There should be training provided to decision makers who are in the position to challenge stereotypical views and assumptions about a mother. Senior role models working part time should be made more visible to foster a greater sense of entitlement to sustainability of careers and caring roles. (Herman and Lewis 786) If these interventions are implemented on a go-forward basis, a thriving democracy can develop.
Written by Kimberly O’Hanlon
Essay for WGSS325: Disney: Gender, Race, and Empire
Instructor: Kryn Freehling-Burton
July 22nd, 2018
Works Cited:
Bell, Elizabeth et. al. From Mouse to Mermaid: The Politics of Film, Gender, and Culture. Indiana University Press, 1995. Print.
Kim, Y. H., & O’Brien, K. M. Assessing Women’s Career Barriers Across Racial/Ethnic Groups: The Perception of Barriers Scale. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 65(2), 2018, 226-238.
Morland, J. Kenneth. The Development of Racial Bias in Young Children. Theory into Practice, vol. 2, no. 3, 1963, pp. 120–127.
Herman C, Lewis S. Entitled to a Sustainable Career? Motherhood in Science, Engineering, and Technology. Journal of Social Issues. December 2012;68(4):767-789.
