And You Thought It Was Just a Cartoon

You're upset about an arranged marriage? What, are you gay?

There was an article written about the new Pixar film Brave (2012) which caused a bit of stir this past week. Seems somewhere in the bowels of the increasingly tabloid-esque pages of Entertainment Weekly a staff writer interpreted the main character Merida's unwillingness to shack up with one of three dingus male suitors as an indication that she might be gay. He then used its release date which coincided with Pride Week in New York and San Francisco as further evidence of her sexual orientation.

Apparently it does matter

Having seen the film about a princess wanting to drive her own path instead of the one meticulously set-up by her mother, I can tell you first hand that sexuality has absolutely nothing to do with it one way or another. While the reviewer put it in the best of terms by saying that Merida should be considered a “proud” example of gay pride, and while I have absolutely nothing wrong with the homosexual life style, all I can really say to this interpretation is...really? Have we seriously gotten to the point where we're giving sexual labels on kids cartoons? Does it matter that much?

If that's the way you want to read it, fine. As far as you know Merida is a bow touting redheaded Amazonian who will likely run away with Katniss from Hunger Games (2012) and open a used book store in the sequel. But for those of us who don't have an over-reactive gay-dar, we get to enjoy the movie for what it is; a moving tale about the evolution of a mother-daughter relationship and a princess willing to forge her own path. The latter lesson is rather uncommon in today's blockbuster dominated movie landscape. We like to think that sexism is on the retreat and yet annoying little gender stereotypes specifically towards women still remain; especially in mainstream film. At best they are treated as intelligent spewers of exposition. At worst, they are window dressing meant to give the required T & A to a demographic of horny middle schoolers.

100% Straight

Put on the make-up, get out the pumps, slather on the argan oil because if you're not constantly looking like an angel in a tube-top no gentlemen will have you. You're fat, you're ugly, you're too opinionated, change yourself now so you can eventually get a man who has is own gender stereotypes to enforce upon you. Who knows, maybe if you're passive enough you'll get a vampire!

What does this say to otherwise straight women who enjoy sports like archery, rock climbing and horseback riding? What does this say to lesbians who like to wear high heels and like to look pretty? If we have gotten to the point where gay men can join the Army and straight men can sing and dance on Broadway, why the hell can't women save themselves from harm way for once in cinematic history? 

These gender stereotypes are ridiculously outdated and ultimately as harmful as racial ones. They limit people from their potential whatever that might be. Pixar confounds stereotypes in favor of once again telling a great story which I'm sure we can all agree is a pretty brave thing to do.