The other day, Amy Mebberson (whose praises I’ve sung before) visited Disneyland and tweeted the following:
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/amymebberson/status/83681581839028224″]
Here’s what prompted her to post that:
I’m fairly sure Walt’s spinning so fast in his grave he’s halfway to China by now. [sigh]
Certainly. I mean, not in a fan service way but in the way that the audience can believe that other freakish mouse-monsters would desire her.
I think there’s elements of it even in the earliest cartoons, now if her modern incarnation wants to dress up as Princess Leia… then… good for Mickey and I don’t have a problem with it.
Great points Alex! I agree with you on the cartoon front, but an image such as the one above is probably not meant for Mickey. To further the point, just who is it for? Minnie is one of the most well-known cartoon characters in existence but that does not mean she has to be put into every conceivable outfit [Rule 34 aside].
I’m probably the extreme minority who feels both sides of this one.
On one hand, this is one of (if not) the most sexualized pieces of OFFICIAL Disney merchandise I’ve ever seen. And while that’s expected from other characters like Jessica Rabbit or Miss Kitty Mouse, this stirs up awkward feelings of “should this be sexy?” or “Is this OK?”.
However, as a kid growing up around Disney, Minnie mouse (the park mascots, not the character itself) was the first female I was ever sexually attracted to. Before you roll your eyes, imagine hitting puberty alongside this: https://static.dyp.im/pVt7t8QUs1/ed93ef2279a923521ad1bd67dd16c54b.png
I blame my leg/tights fetish on her.
I’m not the only one. I’ve met a few other people with similar experiences. So there is a very small market for “sexy minnie” and combining that with the broader market for “Sexy Leia”, I get why it’s a thing. It’s a tongue in cheek nod to those timid awkward nostalgic years for a lot of boys who grew up having those characters be their first pubescent crush.
I think in the end, it’s because it’s Minnie, and she’s (more often then not) never overly sexualized. And even here, it’s still a “G-Rated” picture, but very much intended as a sexy pinup. So it’s internal conflict. Even though Minnie is an adult woman character, she’s so associated with being an innocent childhood icon that it feels strange. “Not sure if I should allow myself to find Minnie sexy” intersects with “I find slave Leia sexy”. Perhaps that’s why it’s kind of a fun piece. Most artists LOVE to get an emotional reaction from people, be it wonder, joy, laughter, fear, hate, arousal, repulsion, confusion, or even awkwardness. This painting could trigger 4 or 5 of those emotions in any one person depending on the individual. So for that, I applaud it, especially for how bold it is for Disney to push the boundary of their comfort zone and that of their customers.
Not to say it’s for everyone, but I don’t think I regret them doing it.
They may have though, considering they haven’t done anything this “sexy” ever since. The newer Slave-Leia-Minnie merchandise had the sexualization aspect toned WAY lower, with less of a curvy feminine body and more toony body. Also a more “cute” vs. “bedroom” expression: http://www.disneyparksmerchandise.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/11_PrincessHero_FNL.jpg