Gender Stereotypes in Disney Channel Shows for Kids

Introduction: Media's Influence on Children's Gender Perceptions

Most adults are aware of how influential the media is on children — a notion that is especially striking today, when children have access to numerous types of media. Despite this massive availability, school-aged children are still predominantly impacted by television, watching it around three hours a day (Hentges & Case, 2013). This represents an enormous power held by television and places increased pressure on parents to regulate what their children are exposed to. This is about more than explicit content such as sex or violence; it also refers to subtler forces within media that can shape children's minds and development — such as representations of gender roles. How characters on television act, what they say, and how they dress can be tremendously influential to children regarding what is and is not acceptable behavior for boys versus girls.

This paper examines two shows on the Disney Channel — Liv and Maddie (2013–2017) and Austin and Ally (2011–2016) — in terms of their portrayals of acceptable feminine versus acceptable masculine behavior. Most notably, it attempts to determine whether any of the characters were portrayed in gender-stereotyped roles.

Gender Representation in Liv and Maddie

Liv and Maddie features identical twins played by one actress, Dove Cameron. Liv is an actress who has moved back to her hometown after starring in a television series in Los Angeles for several years, while Maddie is her twin who stayed behind, living a more ordinary life. Episode 13 from Season 1 ("Move-a-Rooney") was selected for analysis.

One could argue that this show does not rely heavily on gender stereotypes, since the female characters carry the bulk of the action and drive all the exciting plot activities. It is a show centered on two female characters, and they dominate the narrative. However, things become murkier when examining the subtleties of gender representation. Both characters are dressed in very feminine ways, almost like dolls. Liv — essentially a young Hollywood starlet — is dressed in a hyper-feminine style, with long curls in her hair, pretty or sometimes borderline sexy dresses, and a slightly airheaded manner of speaking. Her appearance is consistent with what researchers have described as Disney's tendency to present female leads as "pretty as a princess" (Coyne & Linder, 2016). Liv also has a heightened focus on boys and romantic interests throughout the show. Maddie, by contrast, is occasionally dressed down and sometimes appears more masculine, though she often wears the pants-equivalent of Liv's outfit. She wears glasses and is portrayed as intelligent — a characterization that unfortunately risks reinforcing the troublesome stereotype that girls who do not wear glasses are somehow less smart.

Subtle Stereotypes in Liv and Maddie's Episode Analysis

In the episode analyzed, Liv's opening lines in the first scene concerned whether her sister knew that a supporting character actually liked her romantically, and how excited she was that he had lent her his jacket. This jacket-lending incident occurs within the first few minutes of the show. While it does constitute a "helping behavior" — and one could argue it is positive to see male characters engaging in behaviors traditionally ascribed to women — it remains a deeply gendered action. The episode opens with two young women discussing a male character, which sends a problematic message about the perceived importance of boys in young women's lives and what girls "should" be talking about.

Further into the episode, the audience meets Joey Rooney, the twins' brother. He is highly engaged in the rocketry club — a club consisting mostly of male members, with only one girl present. This is troubling because it sends the message that STEM activities and subjects are more appropriate for young men. Making matters worse, Joey has a semi-aggressive rivalry with another male rocket enthusiast named Artie. The juxtaposition is revealing: the girls on the show discuss boys, while the boys on the show discuss rockets.

Conclusion: The Persistence of Gender Stereotyping in Children's TV

Many of the concerns that Hentges and Case express about gender representation on children's television are valid and remain significant problems today. As they note, "how male and female characters behave, whether they act stereotypically masculine or feminine, conveys information about male and female behaviors. While research indicates that gender stereotyping may be decreasing (Aubrey & Harrison, 2004; Thompson & Zerbinos, 1997), males on television display more stereotypically masculine behaviors, for example displaying higher levels of physical aggression (Luther & Legg, 2010; Signorielli et al., 1995), and female characters display more stereotypically feminine behaviors…" (Hentges & Case, 2013).

The analysis conducted here demonstrates that there are subtler, more insidious ways in which gender stereotypes are being perpetuated and delivered to children. These stereotypes offer young viewers toxic lessons about what is expected and acceptable regarding male versus female behavior. They model problematic themes concerning appearance, the topics males and females should think and talk about, what their interests ought to be, and which gender is expected to help the other. Ultimately, this study illustrates the subtlety of gender stereotyping in children's media and underscores the need for parents to be vocal and proactive in screening content for their young children.

References

Coyne, S. M., Linder, J. R., Rasmussen, E. E., Nelson, D. A., & Birkbeck, V. (2016). Pretty as a princess: Longitudinal effects of engagement with Disney princesses on gender stereotypes, body esteem, and prosocial behavior in children. Child Development, 87(6), 1909–1925.

Hentges, B., & Case, K. (2013). Gender representations on Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, and Nickelodeon broadcasts in the United States. Journal of Children and Media, 7(3), 319–333.