Gender Transgression and Villainy in Animated Film, written by Merdeith Li-Vollmer and Mark E. LaPointe, explores the topics of "queer coding" and gender transgression in animation. Queer coding is a hot topic in Disney Films, and is loosely defined as the making of a character to seem queer without outwardly expressing their sexual orientation. This is usually done through the makeup of the characters physical characteristics, for example in The Lion King, Scar's flamboyant mannerisms and voice may lead viewers to believe he is gay.
Gender transgression refers to characters not acting in a way that lives up to the social expectations that surround certain sexes. Vollmer writes, "...movies and other mass media can and do present images of how gender has been performed, is performed, and should be performed". This habit of using gender transgression to help demonize villains in Disney films is wrong, in my opinion, because it condemns certain character traits that are perfectly human, and demonizes those who don't necessarily act "correctly" according to society's standards. Having these
Vollmer goes on to discuss how gender is a social construct, and we teach ourselves how to behave "appropriately", meaning in a way that doesn't call into question our gender. This was interesting to read, and it was something I had never considered before. Vollmer says that every activity carries along with it an opportunity to assert your "womanliness" or "manliness". This made me think back to 5th grade on the playground, where the boys would play football in the field, and the girls would sit under the gazebo and gossip. There was this social expectation, though never mentioned out loud, that I belonged in the gazebo. Nevertheless, I always found myself playing with the boys in the field, and growing up I struggled to fit in with the girls. Thinking back, my decision making very much affected my relationship with the girls in my grade, because the playground called into question my gender. Thinking back I wouldn't have it any other way, but it frustrates me to think that these social constructs are so innately present in us that it so clearly affects our ability to form relationships, especially if you act against the set standards. Also, I kicked ass in football.
Vollmer and LePoint examined 10 Disney films made before 1989, and analyzed the gender transgression present in them. First, they discuss the contrast in bone structures between heroes and villains. The villains, like scar, tend to have more point features than compared to heroes, like Mufasa.
This pointed bone structure can also be found in other villains, such as
yzma
Jafar
and hades.
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