Letters

An Open Letter to Disney Writers

February 29, 2012 /

Dear Disney Teen and Tween Show Writers,

Stupidity isn’t cute.

Creating characters who pretend to be morons to attract the opposite sex is degrading.

Being ignorant is not funny.

Laugh tracks are unbearable.

A television show should not make me feel as if I am losing brain cells whilst merely walking through a room during an episode of said TV show.

Remember the commercial from the 1980’s?  The one with the frying pan and the sizzling egg?  “This is your brain.  This is your brain on drugs.  Any questions?”

That’s what your currently popular series are like.

Why are twelve-year-olds and sixteen-year-olds revealing more skin than a baby getting its diaper changed?

Why does a thirteen-year-old have cleavage from a wonder bra?

We need to raise daughters who value themselves beyond their own bodies.

And I know we can turn the television set off.

I know we can set up boundaries and monitor viewing.

And we should.

But there is a fundamental problem when what sells, what makes gobs of money for the machine that is Disney, is like a poison to the very age it is targeting.

The message is undeniable:

Be pretty.  Be sexy.  Be dumb.

What a horribly dangerous combination.

It’s not enough that I don’t want to buy your message –

I’d like you to stop sending it.

Sincerely,

Me

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7 Comments

  • Burl

    February 29, 2012 at 3:35 pm

    Great post! The dumbing down and the sexualization of our youth/children is something that we definitely need to stop! As an educator, our job isn't to lower the bar to the point where everyone can get over it! The job I have is to raise the bar to the point that it challenges even the best students! Thanks for sharing your thoughts! (I would argue that this isn't just a problem with Disney, but with Tween-age programing in general.)

  • margie

    February 29, 2012 at 2:20 pm

    I can totally relate. We had a similar experience on Monday as ventured through the grocery line. I really didn't want to explain why the young lady on the Sports Illustrated cover is half naked to my five year old. And more importantly why the lady at the counter thought I had five heads when I asked if they could reposition is behind another magazine, like the sewing one all the way at the bottom.

    • LaceyKeigley

      February 29, 2012 at 3:46 pm

      I'm impressed that you asked them to move the magazine – I am usually too much of a wimp to ask. But we should – because I think we all forget that the consumers actually have the strongest voice!