Disney has come a long way in a relatively short period of time. While historically, the company tended to tell patriarchal tales of damsels in distress , today they’ve become much more well-rounded and ecumenical.
In the spirit of furthering equality among the Disney audience, the company has come forward and introduced its first plus-sized character — a ballet dancer by the name of Bianca. But although many are taking this as a step forward, there are still those who remain unconvinced .
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Historically, Disney animated features have all followed a similar formula.
Classic animated feature films such as Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty told stories of beautiful damsels in distress needing to be rescued and whisked away by their own Prince Charming.
But over the past few decades, the narratives have begun to shift.
Thanks to films such as Brave , Moanna , and Frozen , female characters are no longer relegated to pining away in the tallest tower of a castle. They’ve become the heroes of their own stories.
On top of distancing itself from its rather patriarchal past, Disney has also begun to tackle more complex social issues.
Inside Out helped to personify the wide array of complex human emotions, whereas Onward helped to explore the spectrum of grief through the loss of a loved one.
‘Soul’ attempted to answer the question of what happens to us after we die, as well as what it is to truly be alive.
Finally, Turning Red helps to normalize female body functions by telling the story of a girl who turns into a giant red panda whenever she experiences strong emotions — a metaphor for adolescence and puberty.
Now, Disney is once again breaking new ground by introducing its first plus-sized heroine.
Reflect , which is now streaming on Disney +, tells the story of Bianca — a plus-sized ballet dancer who must battle her own reflection and feelings of body dysmorphia.
‘Reflect’ is the latest offering in Season 2 of Disney’s Short Circuit’ film series.
Short Circuit is an experimental short film series, devoted to a wide array of personal issues — including topics such as developing self-esteem and building body positivity.
‘Reflect’ is directed by Hillary Bradfield, whose name you may recall from such films as ‘Frozen 2’ and ‘Encanto’.
In the past, Bradfield worked as an animation story artist. Reflect marks her first time in the Disney director’s chair.
The film begins with little Bianca standing at the barre, whilst her teacher reminds her to have a tight tummy and to keep a long neck.
Before long, the mirror comes alive and attempts to swallow her, but as she becomes more confident through her dance — she dashes her own judgmental reflection to pieces.
So far, the film has received high praise from the Twitterverse.
“16 year old[sic] me needed this Disney short before I quit ballet because I didn’t want to be the fat girl in class anymore ,” @MeganPotter_ tweeted. “I’m glad little ones will have this. 10/10 for Reflect!”
“This is amazing!” a second Twitter user echoed in response.
“Kudos to them,” Twitter user @QUEER169 commented. “Next can we get a plus-sized princess in a story that doesn’t focus on her weight? “
They make a good point. Perhaps the best way to spread equality is to stop reminding everywhere that they’re different.
However, not everyone is as thrilled with the news.
Some have gone as far as to accuse Disney of celebrating obesity in children, and that this kind of content, albeit well-intentioned, actually winds up doing them more harm than it does good.
“You wouldn’t represent anorexia, Disney, don’t represent obesity either. It’s wrong,” one Twitter user chimed in.
“Notice how it’s only a ~5-minute short film and not a full-blown movie? That’s because this [expletive] wouldn’t make them any money ,” @truthoh said pessimistically.
According to Disney executives, audiences can expect to see more entertainment content around these lines.
Disney also plans to focus on developing future characters from underrepresented groups. These include (but are not limited to) racial minorities and members of the LGBTQIA+ communities.
Karey Burke, president of Disney’s General Entertainment Content, has big aspirations for the future of Disney’s character development.
By the end of the year, Burke has pledged that 50% of all of Disney’s forthcoming characters will either be LGBTQIA+ or other visual minorities.
In the meantime, you can stream ‘Reflect’ on Disney +, along with all other previous ‘Short Circuit’ offerings.
Considering that each short film clocks in anywhere between five to six minutes, you can easily get caught up in the span of an afternoon.
