What a world.
Who would have ever thought that a movie that served as a metaphorical look at puberty would have caused such an uproar? We’ve had movies with characters named Buzz and Woody, a movie with talking cars that referenced prostate exams and tramp stamps, but it was a movie that metaphorically dealt with the arrival of Aunt Flo that caused everyone to lose their collective dookie?
Personally, I thought it was an adorable movie. A bright, funny, nostalgic story of finding your own place in the world and carving your own path. Strangely, this is also the second movie in a four month stretch about trauma caused by family, so that’s apparently a trend now.
Turning Red is the story of Mei Mei, a Chinese Canadian girl who lived up to the high standards her mother holds for her all up until the day that she suddenly turns into a giant red panda and discovers that there is a curse on her family and that she must wait until the next full moon to rid herself of this curse.
The kicker is, however, that Mei Mei discovers that she likes the panda and that it is making her life more enjoyable, so now of course, she is torn between what she wants and what is expected of her.
I loved every moment of this movie. I’m just gonna say it. The idea that it’s sexualizing little girls is nonsense and an easy thing to hang a political platform on when you have no real ideas. Turning Red is an adorable, lovely, frenetic movie of love and finding your own place in the world despite what parents or society tells you is acceptable.
If that’s “woke,” that’s stupid.
I like that Disney is tackling issues like puberty and rebellion. Without rebellion, we wouldn’t have had Cinderella, Moana, or Encanto. No good story was ever born by obedience and conformity and, honesty, I kind of think that is the main problem of the “unwoke” crowds… its not the non-existent sexualization or puberty metaphors… it’s a girl taking control of her own body.
Jason Gaston 