Tuesday, 23 October 2012
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Skinny Minnie
I was browsing stories at People online and my daughter Ava (6) was sitting next to me watching The Cat In the Hat on television...but she was really peeking over at the computer. I knew she was. You're crazy if you think your kids aren't watching everything you're doing. Anyway, I came across this article, New "Skinny Minnie" Mouse Angers Body-Image Activists.Barneys New York's holiday display features a madeover Minnie Mouse, possibly in commemoration of her 84th birthday. I showed my daughter the picture in the article, the one I put on this one as well. Since I knew she had seen it anyway, I opened dialogue about it. I asked her what she thought of it? Which picture did she prefer and why? What differences did she notice between the two Minnies?
She thankfully preferred the traditional Minnie Mouse. She said she was "cuter." When I asked her what was different about the madeover Minnie, the first thing she pointed to were her legs. "Those are smaller." Then, "Her eyes are a different color." I'm assuming she means the make-up. Then she noticed, which I did not, that the madeover Minnie's ears are pointed, "like a fox."
So, the good news is, at least my daughter prefers the normal Minnie Mouse. The bad news? She knew right away, at first notice, that the difference was weight. In order to be "high fashion" Minnie got skinny-fied.
What do you think of the makeover? Is it appropriate? Is it a big deal, or no big deal?
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- From: sarahsmurfette@xanga
- About Me: Proud military wife. Mother of two.
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Comments (20)
If they want a skinny ass, "high fashion" new character, whatever. But don't dick with old characters. It's just wrong.
I have a problem with society's tunnel vision. All women are beautiful no matter how they look. Tall, short, fat, skinny, blonde, brunette... None of it matters. If this new character wasn't a madeover Minnie, I'd most likely just lump her in with the rest of society's somewhat warped view of beauty. Since it is a new Minnie Mouse, it bothers me a lot. The old Minnie looked fine, why change her? In my opinion, classic Minnie exudes childhood innocence while this new one seems too sophisticated (and bordering on slutty) for little girls. I don't like her one bit.
Like you, I asked my daughter, who is also 6, which Minnie Mouse she liked and what she noticed about the newer one. The first thing she noticed was the newer Minnie was "too skinny like a skeleton." She also said she liked the other one better because she looks cuter and more friendly.
Personally, I'm really glad there is no Barney's around here and if I ever live around it, I'm not shopping there. I'm proud now to say I've never been there and don't own any of their merchandise. I am 100% against the makeover. Coming from someone who had an eating disorder for over a decade, it's not acceptable and I'm hoping this has no effect on little girls. I may sound extreme but both obesity and anorexia are unhealthy to show in ads, on tv or anything that kids will see. If they want to look good, they need to do healthy looking and not that over the top skinniness.
I don't think it matters that much. Who tries to look like a cartoon character, you know? Even ones that do look more realistic and are human. For example, I was absolutely obsessed with X-Men, back when it was an animated show, and I didn't ever think that I needed to have huge boobs like those girls did, or adopt any aspect of their appearance. Plus, I don't necessarily think that seeing a thin character is automatically bad.
Plus, you definitely make your own decisions and question things... I'm sure you will teach your daughter that what other people think about her isn't necessarily correct or important.Ughh. This is wrong on so many levels!
IMO that's more of a nightmare than a dream sequence. I don't think I've ever had a dream where I saw myself with a drastically modified body image. Maybe a different haircut, but this is like from a different planet.
@MyxlDove@xanga - I see that since I quoted the article, they've added another link (and changed pictures) and that Daisy Duck also had a haute couture makeover. For me, Daisy's is less dramatic. Minnie's is very thinspo.
I've also never had a dream where I had a drastically modified body image. That does seem to put a disordered spin on it, more than the thinness itself.
#fail new mini looks like a walking skeleton. this is just, no... wrong... I miss old mini and she's not even completely gone... just looking at that picture makes me miss her without her being gone.
I think this is more of an new-artistic interpretation of what we are all used to? It's like people redrawing their versions of disney princesses or superheros in their own personal style.
I don't think it's cause for concern that the first thing she noticed was that Minnie was skinnier. I mean, that is the most obvious thing, right? And at 6, she's probably not even thinking about all the connotations that adults attach to it.
The new Minnie don't look like a Minnie Mouse... She is no more cut, and even if it can be funny for adults to find an "adult"Minnie Mouse, for children it's not.
Concerning what your daughter said, it was not entirely (not at all?) about weight. She pointed out the differencies : more make up, very long and twiggy legs, ears no more round "like a fox". She compared a drawing, and a photo...
Well, make up is not a weight issue, the legs are extremely long compared to the "classic"(no weight issue involved here, it's obvious and strange because it is a drawing not a photo), and "like a fox"... well, it is a god point that a 4years old child now that fox have not the same ear form as a mouse.
She's not "new" Minnie. People keep saying things like "what's wrong with the old Minnie?" It's a video in which she daydreams about being a model wearing a dress and in the end she returns to reality and finds herself wearing said dress. This knee-jerk reaction as if someone has stolen and destroyed Minnie Mouse and we will never see her again is totally overblown. It sure is easy to piss people off and get media attention lately.
That being said, yes, it is sad that when girls and women daydream about modeling or high fashion or even clothes in general, we sometimes imagine ourselves much thinner. That issue comes from society itself. I highly doubt this image of Minnie Mouse is going to make our children anorexic.
There was a petition on change.org against the Barney's image of Minnie. I signed it.
hate to say but from an anorexics point of voew, i always prefer the thinner. but i do remember disneyland as a kid, and minnie coming up to me hugging me and making me feel so special. like i was the only girl who knew who she was... i prefer the original <3
The new one is horribly ugly, I don't think anyone would look at it and think "I want to look like that". I wonder who at Barney's thought this looked good?
The article says that the stylized Minnie is only for a short film in which Minnie has a dream sequence in Paris, but wakes up her real self, happy with her fancy dress (and the way she looks in it). If they were replacing Minnie altogether, that'd be one thing, but they're not.
It's a cartoon, and it's their property. They can do what they want. It's not bad.
The ears look pointed on Skinnie Minnie because she has a 3/4 profile. Wheras the original Minnie is looking at you more directly. When you look at ANY circle facing you its round... when you turn the same circle so that its 3/4 it doesnt look like the original circle because its relationship to you has changed. Take a tire on a car for example... the tire looks like a big fat circle from the side of the car. Walk around till you have a 3/4 view- the tire and the perspective changes. The tire is still a circle but again, you've altered its position in space.
Point is... I dont think Skinnie Minnie has pointed ears to look like a "fox". If original minnie turned to a 3/4 profile her ears would look the same.
To your next point.... whatever a child prefers is their preference. We should not be suggesting either picture is better than the other. We shouldnt say one Minnie is BAD because of "X" and another Minnie is GOOD because of "X". We (as in parents or people) teach children insecurity... Minnie Mouse does not. We teach this insecurity by labeling one mouse better or worse then we project our reason why.
We dont want tall skinny girls to feel any more insecure than short fat girls. And I feel every time the public has to flip out over who is the next fatty and who is the next secret anorexic simply encourages the problem.
Its like argueing over two flavors of icecream... say vanilla and chocolate. Is one truly better than the other? You might THINK so but that is only your OPINION. Personally I like both and find no reason to debate over the appropriateness of vanilla or the subtleties of chocolate. See how this argument starts to sound stupid? Thats what I think of this whole mouse business- stupid.
How about we have two original Minnie Mouse girls in front of you but one is colored black (original coloring) and one is white in coloring. Is one mouse better than the other? You may have a prefrence but thats about the end of your power when it comes to giving the mouse any superiority.
If one mouse or flavor of ice cream makes you feel BAD I'd consider yourself responsible for that feeling and no one else.
@theladyofabundance@xanga - Are you, an adult, really looking into all that to refute my 6 year old's quick observation? Hold on a sec while I LOL...
@sarahsmurfette@xanga - *LOL* If you are refering to the circle perspective thing that comes from years of being in art class and drawing from different angles. Some people might be pleased that something they said was actually given a lot of thought by someone else. I mean these days people jump to conclusions about what a skinnie Minnie Mouse MEANS - so if you pose the question "What do you think of the makeover? Is it appropriate? Is it a big deal, or no big deal?"
And someone answers you with more than just a thoughtless blurp consider it a compliment because you have people replying with depth. Clearly this is more than just about a singular 6 year old's perspective because the outrage on this mouse has made it to national news.
That is WHY you got a long answer because the subject is more than superficial.
I dont know why you are taking what I said as some sort of attack towards your child. Its not personal, seriously.