Discuss: Is Pixar Sexist?

Posted by Dr. Cole Abaius (cole.abaius@filmschoolrejects.com) on June 4, 2009

A gang of men. Animated men.

I know I’ll get hit immediately for extrapolating the argument a bit beyond the breaking point, but I think the question is a fun one – albeit a fun one in wolf’s clothing. Either male or female wolf’s clothing, of course.

Where would such a loaded question come from?

After the release of Up, Linda Holmes from NPR’s Monkey See wrote a fantastic open-letter to Pixar praising their work and also lamenting the lack of female main characters in their films. It makes sense. Even in the animated animal world, the protagonists are all male. The rats, the clown fishes, the cowboy and spaceman toys. The former superheroes, the cars and the ants. There have been some strong female characters, but they have never been the main focus of the story.

Holmes points out that Pixar plans on finally changing that tune with The Bear and the Bow sometime after 2011. Unfortunately, that main female, leading the charge of the story and the character arcs – is a princess.

I find myself oddly on the same side as Holmes, although I have trouble sympathizing as a male oppressor. There are a thousand princess stories. I’m wondering if another one is really what young women need.

Subtle Fight Club references aside, it raises an important question and raises an important fact about Pixar.

The question: Is Pixar sexist, and if so (or if not) should they have any responsibility to build a film around a strong non-princess character?

The fact: Pixar has embedded itself so far into the cultural psyche that it’s going to be held to a higher standard.

What do you think? Sexism? Higher standards? Does a company making some of the best movies out there have a responsibility to build those brilliant films around diverse, strong characters?


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  • Ivy
    I think that since traditional Disney spent so many years doing princess movies focused on a female heroine or female lead, Pixar probably just wanted to do something different by focusing on men. But I do think it's about time to have a "non princess" female lead connected to the Disney franchise.
  • Hank
    I think it's definitely eyebrow-raising. Just noticed that Up had one female character in the entire film, Carl Frederickson's wife. Even the female bird was given the name Kevin...and the name never changed even after the two male characters discovered it was a female. Very interesting.
  • Harley
    I think what's more sexist is when Warner Bros said they won't accept any script with a female lead. I don't think the exclusion of a female protagonist is sexist no more than the exclusion of a black protagonist is racist. Pixar does have positive female role models in their films, don't they?
  • Christina
    I believe that it has become so ingrained in their culture (having male centered animated films) that it doesn't seem like a problem to them. It does seem a bit odd given the cultural matrix of our society. Also, just from a writer's perspective, the princess story line is just old.
  • The real question is - is Pixar accountable? The answer is no. Pixar can do whatever they want. The last thing they should ever do is listen to the .0002% of the population that sees fit to complain. "Listen, I absolutely adore every single thing Pixar has done they are the greatest, but listen to me here's what I, the uncreative audience, recommend you do."

    Further, no, Pixar is not sexist.
  • liquid terminator
    there are always strong female leads in all of pixar's movies. wtf kinda topic is this? nit picky if you ask me. just look at the studio and of course the leads will be all male. the writers and directors of the pixar movies are all middle aged nerdy males.
  • mike d
    mrs. incredible was pretty hot. Is that sexist?
  • No... that's hot.
  • Elastigirl. Dora. I would consider them "main" characters. That being said, it does bring up an interesting question, and I agree, I don't think they're going out of their way to tell stories only centered around men. Also, I doubt that Pixar's "princess" is going to be like Jasmine or Ariel, she'll be a well thought-out character and not just a model for little girls.

    The focus is on telling a great story. I mean look at the AFI Top 100, only 2 of the top 10 are centered around female leads and those are "Wizard of Oz" and "Gone with the Wind." The larger question should be "Is Hollywood sexist" because the only movies that have female leads inevitably get marketed as "chick flicks" unless they feature Angelina Jolie blowing shit up.
  • Stop making sense. Go back to talking crazy talk.
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