Big Bang Theory star calls Frozen sexist

[Saucycarpdog]

http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=889395

Wait what? Frozen was mainly about the relationship of two sisters. And Anna was not trying to find a husband. She just had this fantasy of true love in her head and thought the first "nice" guy she met was her destined partner. Near the end this fantasy is proven false. If anything Frozen breaks the mold when it comes to that cliché.

 

[EternallyBored]

http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=889395

Wait what? Frozen was mainly about the relationship of two sisters. And Anna was not trying to find a husband. She just had this fantasy of true love in her head and thought the first "nice" guy she met was her destined partner. Near the end this fantasy is proven false. If anything Frozen breaks the mold when it comes to that cliché.

That would be a good point, except some people still see it as a pretty default love story, even if she didn't get with the prince she met first at the end, she still ended up romantically involved with a fairly generic designated Disney love interest, the sisters being the source of true love is fairly different, but the princess still gets a man at the end of everything, although Elsa doesn't, so yeah.

That seems to be what Bialik is talking about, although the rant itself seems to take more issue with the characters physical appearance rather than the story, she seems more angry with the generic body type the sister had in the movie. Which, is kind of true of their computer animated movies, it kind of runs into this odd issue that male main cast characters end up with fairly diverse body types, whilst the females end up all kind of having the same measurements, just with different heights.

I think that's where she's coming from anyway, I personally don't have too much of an issue with the movie, the generic body proportions in the female characters is the only thing that actually bugged me. The story itself played some tropes straight and subverted others, I don't think it's completely accurate to criticize the movie for playing the love story trope at the very end because they subverted most of the standard steps in between. Dunno, I've seen various criticisms along these lines for Frozen floating around, and some are better than others

 

[Here Comes Tomorrow]

I honestly don't understand the hype around Frozen.

It was 5/10 movie tops, Tangled was better.

 

[TheRiddler]

I'd argue that Frozen was all about subversion. The promotional material was all about making Frozen appear to be the most Disneyesque film possible. The focus on the cute snowman. The witch hunting aristocrat. Et cetera. The princesses being aesthetically Barbie proportioned was basically to set up a feeling of comfort before the big "Prince Charming turns out to be a bad guy" gut punch and the "true love between sisters" variation.

Also, the story was about the sisters finally reconciling, not about trying to find a man/love.

 

[Lilani]

Bialik, who is mother to two sons, claims the film's plot sets a bad example to young girls as it focuses on a woman's quest for a husband, writing, "The search for a man/love/Prince is still the reigning plot line in the movie ... My issue is that this is a movie geared to small children who I don't think need to be focusing on that as the main driving plot of a movie ... Disney classics were all about this and look where it's gotten us!"

I think she completely missed the point of the Anna/Hans angle. Yeah, Anna is constantly pining over Hans the whole movie, BUT he turns out to be a total scumbag. Which not only teaches Anna that you shouldn't trust first impressions, but also that it isn't healthy or helpful to be so desperate to jump into a relationship. The movie uses Anna's pursuit of Hans as a demonstration as to why you SHOULDN'T let the pursuit of love run your life.

 

[KissingSunlight]

I think this actress is trying to attract more attention to herself. Intentionally misinterpreting what a Disney cartoon was about like a SJW. I have never watched The Big Bang Theory. If there was anyway to watch a TV show even less, I would. The sad part is I don't like Disney cartoons. I thought Frozen was just OK. The only reason to watch the movie is for the "Let It Go" scene. They did a great job animating that scene. And Holy Bejesus! Is that song catchy! Honestly, I can't hear anybody say the expression "Let it go." without having that song pop into my head.

 

[Crazy Zaul]

Article about Feminism/Sexism.
Then video about 'Woman Crush Wednesday'...

 

[AuronFtw]

Big Bang Theory is a meanspirited attack on nerd culture, made for the benefit of non-nerd watchers who get to laugh at all the over-the-top nerd stereotypes. Someone involved in that program being unable to see deeper meaning to things, and in fact misconstruing their true meaning, doesn't surprise me at all.

 

[Asuka Soryu]

Yeah, cause someone who's a part of the Big Bang Theory really has grounds to complain when a piece of fiction stereotypes.

 

[Mikeyfell]

Haven't we learned to just ignore people who call things sexist.
if not... Just ignore people who call things sexist. they're all stupid. if something is actually sexist we'd all be able to tell. it never has to be said.

and on a more comical note... ahem...
Well obviously if your female lead is strait your movie is sexist and if your female lead doesn't have a male love interest she's obviously a lesbian making you a devil worshiper. take your pick Hollywood. Do you want to piss off the feminists or the conservative Christians? because those are the only two options you have.

 

[PainInTheAssInternet]

Well, Zira. Looks like you have a popular supporter.

It still doesn't make much sense when she's looking at it from the angle of "looking for a man." The explicit message of the movie was it was a bad attitude to have. She seems to think the presence of something automatically means the support of it, so her head must explode when she watches satire.

I will concede it is a bit creepy and irritating how attractive every Disney lead is.

 

[RJ 17]

Bialik, who is mother to two sons, claims the film's plot sets a bad example to young girls as it focuses on a woman's quest for a husband, writing, "The search for a man/love/Prince is still the reigning plot line in the movie ... My issue is that this is a movie geared to small children who I don't think need to be focusing on that as the main driving plot of a movie ... Disney classics were all about this and look where it's gotten us!"

Wait...what? Did I miss a love story is this...erm...love story? Correct me if I'm wrong, buuuuuuuut doesn't Prince Hans and Anna's "love" take a back-seat to the plot between the point of them singing their song together to the "big reveal" at the end? Anna doesn't give a damn about him once she realizes that her sister needs her...at which point that becomes the reigning plot line in the movie. The only "search for a man/love/prince" that comes into play doesn't even have anything to do with a girl wanting to live happily ever after...it's a frickin' life and death situation. "Oh! That guy back at the castle seemed to love me! Let me go kiss him BEFORE I FRICKIN' DIE!"

Not to mention it's not even Prince Charming's Kiss that saves the day, and in fact Anna specifically chooses NOT to pursue a man to save her own life and instead turns to save her sister's life instead... >.>

Yeah, pretty sure Bialik has never seen Frozen.

take your pick Hollywood. Do you want to piss off the feminists or the conservative Christians? because those are the only two options you have.

The difference is no one in the media/show business gives a damn if you piss of the Conservative Christians.

 

[Corbe Retort]

Haven't we learned to just ignore people who call things sexist.
if not... Just ignore people who call things sexist. they're all stupid. if something is actually sexist we'd all be able to tell. it never has to be said.

This man

This man speaks the truth, website filled with the ostensible capability of assitance when it comes to spinning headlines in the favor of making my job easier.

I mean, the only reason there are issues is because people talk about them: so obviously, if we stop talking about it, it would disappear on its own! So, if we hear someone talking about something, we naturally assume that the issue isn't real: Like cancer, or racism. I mean, institutional? Come on, America.

Alternatively, if everyone is completely silent, we've all signed a non-disclosure agreement in light of the searing issue and choose to ignore it in an effort to avoid it.

Because, just as it is with friends in middle-school, if you give a socio-political issue predating the Woolly Mammoth the silent treatment, it'll go away.

 

[RJ 17]

Because, just as it is with friends in middle-school, if you give a socio-political issue predating the Woolly Mammoth the silent treatment, it'll go away.

That is indeed the case...in reality. But this is the internet! The entire point is to get pissed off at something a complete stranger said that has absolutely no bearing on you! *cough*gamergate*cough*

Wait, sorry. That, cat videos, and porn are the point of the internet.

 

[The Almighty Aardvark]

Haven't we learned to just ignore people who call things sexist.
if not... Just ignore people who call things sexist. they're all stupid. if something is actually sexist we'd all be able to tell. it never has to be said.

What exactly are you claiming here? There were far more blatant forms of sexism in history than go on now, and I seriously doubt a majority of people were like "Hey! Can't you see how sexist we're being?". Particularly as the majority of people participated in making it a thing. If they couldn't see it when it was incredibly blatant to the levels that "we'd all be able to tell" what makes you think that we can suddenly easily tell now that most of the obvious stuff is cut away?

Most things people argue are sexism are culturally ingrained and things everyone considers normal. Just like most forms of historic sexism were. It might not be as bad, but it's far easier for people to bury their heads in the sand and shoot down anything that conflicts with the current norm

On this particular topic, I have no idea if Mayim Bialik is right or not because I haven't seen Frozen

 

[balladbird]

Big Band Theory is a meanspirited attack on nerd culture, made for the benefit of non-nerd watchers who get to laugh at all the over-the-top nerd stereotypes. Someone involved in that program being unable to see deeper meaning to things, and in fact misconstruing their true meaning, doesn't surprise me at all.

I maintain that the nerd community is trying to see malice where there is none. Big Bang theory is a sitcom. Every sitcom in the history of forever has used its stars as the butt of jokes. Big Bang's jokes are no worse than jokes other sitcoms have made against stuffy intellectuals (Frasier), the stereotypical sport-loving, beer-chugging man's man (Married...with children, King of Queens, Everybody loves Raymond), Liberal college-aged kids (Friends, that 70s show), or salt of the earth, blue-collar types (Roseanne, Jeff Foxworthy).


On the topic... eh, she didn't say anything I haven't heard before, and I still don't agree, but good for her for voicing an opinion, I guess.

 

[Tsun Tzu]

What exactly are you claiming here? There were far more blatant forms of sexism in history than go on now, and I seriously doubt a majority of people were like "Hey! Can't you see how sexist we're being?". Particularly as the majority of people participated in making it a thing. If they couldn't see it when it was incredibly blatant to the levels that "we'd all be able to tell" what makes you think that we can suddenly easily tell now that most of the obvious stuff is cut away?

Most things people argue are sexism are culturally ingrained and things everyone considers normal. Just like most forms of historic sexism were. It might not be as bad, but it's far easier for people to bury their heads in the sand and shoot down anything that conflicts with the current norm

On this particular topic, I have no idea if Mayim Bialik is right or not because I haven't seen Frozen

Well...watch it and come on back? If you agree with her assessment after watching it, then you'll most likely defend her and her points. If you disagree, you'd come in here to lambast her for such an inaccurate interpretation. "You" referring to everyone involved in this thread who wishes to put forth their opinion on the matter.

Ahem.

I didn't much care for Frozen. The content was fine, if decidedly janky with a meh plot, but the pacing was absolutely deplorable. Things just...happen...at an off-kilter pace that made every plot point feel more and more disjointed until it culminated in a "gotcha" that came completely out of left field. As for whether or not it was sexist?

Of course it wasn't. The Disney Prince? ultimately turned out to be a douche and "sisterly love" won the day. What's the problem?

 

[Madame_Lawliet]

Peeps, have you been frequenting animation sites and blogs at all in the last year or so? This is not new.
People have been debating whether or not Frozen is sexist since... before the movie came out, I've been seeing articles like this for a year. Most of the criticism comes from the fact that Frozen adapted the source material in such a way where most of the female supporting characters where changed to men in the movie, there's a lot more to it then that though, and there's tons of break downs of the symbolism, subtext, and general structure of the movie all over the internet (and tons of simular articles from the opposite point of view as well).
Tumblr was fucking divided about this too for a looooooooooong ass time, I don't think I've heard the phrase "false feminism" used more in relation to one thing in my whole life. So yeah, there's been a lot of differing opinions about Frozen in this regard for quite a while.

As for where I stand on it myself... well I haven't seen the movie yet so I couldn't tell ya.