I got to see Trever Noah speak, who has a children’s book coming out this Fall. It was a little surreal to hear echoes of my own thoughts in the way he talked about seeking to depict and advocate for self awareness and nurturing, empathy and relationships, and imagination play. If anyone is aware of current societal trends of hate mongering and obstruction of freedoms it’s Trevor Noah. His choice of action? A children’s book!
Why do we need children’s books- and other thoughtful children’s media- like this right now? Because kindness, empathy, and respect matter! A kind person includes others. An empathetic person recognizes a need for equity. A respectful person honors diversity. A kind, empathetic, and respectful person can make the effort necessary to be an antiracist. If we have adults in our society lacking in any of these areas, opportunities were missed for them to learn about and practice these prosocial behaviors as children.
Before I start recommending movies, I want to share a reflection on Disney, and its 100 years of children’s movies. Just like all historic media in our country, the further back one goes in the Disney catalog, we see more reflections of the systematic racism in our country. I read an interesting article about racism in Dumbo. Unknowing of this at the time, I have a strong memory of crying, cathartic “Someone finally sees me” tears, while watching a Disney special on TV that paired Dumbo with Lambert the Sheepish Lion. I also remember hearing the song “It’s Watcha Do With Watcha Got,” and getting it in my head.
At that time in my life, I was bullied because of my developmental speech delay and resultant speech disability. I felt such a resonance with Dumbo, and I ached for the unconditional love Dumbo’s mother showed for him. “Baby Mine” still brings me to tears to this day. The combination of Lambert learning to use his voice, and my feeling like I was being told to persevere and “do with” (the voice) “I’ve got” made me feel like the TV was sending a message just to my eight year old self- to believe in myself, that even though I had a difference, I could still fly high and roar loud like a lion.
I bring up Dumbo not necessarily to recommend it as THE movie NOW to stir up empathy, show the need to respect diversity, or show how kindness mattered so much to help Dumbo, but to show that movies can truly make a lasting impression on your little ones. In the article I read about Dumbo, the author pointed out the racist parts, how Disney+ is eliminating those parts in the original movie, and how the remake addresses all the questionable parts of the movie. Interestingly enough, the author still made the decision to show the original movie to their young child, and to discuss the racist parts as was age appropriate.
With the plethora of remakes that seek to diversify characters, and rectify racist transgressions, Disney seems to be making an effort to show respect for diversity, provide equitable representation, and to be inclusive of diverse families. In my research finding movies to showcase the themes below, I chose to go with original movies only. However, a comparison of the remake with the original could be an interesting family discussion. In any case, get your popcorn, snuggle in, and enjoy these movies with your family!
Diversity- Free to Be You and Me (1972)- Even though the way people dressed was different in the 70s, the messages in this album-made-into-a-TV-special are timeless. We are (or should be) free to make our own choices, regardless of social constructs and stereotypes concerning gender and race. It’s been just over 50 years since Free to Be You and Me was made- that’s not a lot of time! I would argue that the representation of gender and race in Free to Be You and Me is still very much relevant today, even though one could argue that this representation is less revolutionary. In a 2020 interview with Ryan Seacrest, Marlo Thomas described the project as “the first antiracist, antisexist entertainment for children,” and “even more relevant today.” Sara Bareilles’s 2020 cover of the title song updates the word “children” to “people,” and rewords the verse starting “Every boy in this land” to something less gender specific. Both versions together perhaps express a complete “Free to Be” anthem for our time.
Equity- Sounder (1972)- I had never seen Sounder, but found it during the pandemic while searching for an educational movie for my son. I wanted him to learn the history of systematic racism in our country. This movie shows stark inequities for Black families in the Depression era South- segregated and poor access to food, education, and legal help among them. The only caveat I would give is that the happy(ish) circumstances we see in this movie were probably not the historical norm.
Inclusion- Babe (1995)- What shows the power of inclusion more than a cute piglet taken under a sheepdog family's wing, given a chance to live and work as a sheepdog rather than be someone’s morning bacon? Okay, so this is a little unrealistic, maybe A LOT- talking animal whimsy style unrealistic- but the message is clear. Inclusion has positive benefits for all involved. In the story of Babe, those benefits are discovered, sometimes through the reciprocity of friendships, and sometimes when the characters take cues from others who understand those benefits before they do.
Antiracism- The Color of Friendship (2000)- I hadn’t known about this “made for Disney channel” biopic movie until just now. Available on Disney+, it’s worth the watch. Not only does it give you an idea what apartheid was like in South Africa in the late 70’s, and what racism was like in the US at that time, it introduces the books Roots and Cry, the Beloved Country. It also brought into perspective that the first free election in South Africa was not that long ago- in the 1990’s- and highlights the work of Robert Dellums, a Black congressman fighting against apartheid. Dellums and his family, led by daughter Piper, were hosts to a South African exchange student, who was unexpectedly white, and product of the racist government of her time. This article about the story includes some of the brutal details that Disney left out, and will help you gauge the harsh reality, danger, (and mystery) around what life was like for the South African exchange student after she went home.
Empathy- Ponyo (2008)- It’s been a while since I watched Ponyo, one of Studio Ghibli’s animated films, but it was one of my son’s most highly requested movies of his preschool years. With the main character being a 5-year-old boy, his empathy is apparent as he tries to help a goldfish- even if that goldfish causes pretty strange things to happen for him. It is perhaps the boy’s innocence and unwavering support of the goldfish- who turns into a girl- that appease her magical family, and the natural forces at play.
Kindness- Lou (2017)- In this Pixar short, there is no dialogue, so it’s a great one to watch and then talk about afterward. At first, a boy is unkind and takes things from the other children. A monster from the Lost and Found box, Lou, then chases him around and holds the boy’s stuffie for ransom until he gives the stolen items back. As the boy does this, he is taken aback by a hug from a girl who is overjoyed to get her stuffie back, and then he is visibly more happy, especially when he gives his own stuffie a hug at the end. The message here? Being kind feels so much better than being unkind!
Respect- My Neighbor Totoro (1988)- Another beloved and much watched movie in our family, My Neighbor Totoro is a story that highlights how places and people come to life when we show them respect. Satsuke and Mei are encouraged by adults to believe in and show respect for the natural spirits in their new home, which are more visible and accessible the younger you are. For Satsuke and Mei, the nature spirits, especially Totoro, seem to be most visible when their relationship is strongest. As with Ponyo, respect for nature is a theme in so many Studio Ghibli movies. This theme is always masterfully interwoven with a respect for humanity, love, family and friendship. These are a part of our natural world as well, visibly apparent here with Totoro, who (SPOILER ALERT) helps Satsuke find her sister, but only when Satsuke asks with sincere respect.
Equity- The Dark Crystal (1982)- This classic Jim Hensen movie is perhaps the most symbolic I’ll get in my list of recommendations. Think of the yin/yang symbol, a little dark with the light, and a little light with the dark, everything in balance. This is, in essence, a quintessential representation of equity. Light needs a little dark in order to understand and counteract it in a balanced way. For most of the story, we see the awful Skeksis take the life essence of Gelflings and other creatures, much more than they needed, so that they could live forever. That’s not fair is it? At the great conjunction, (SPOILER ALERT), Jen replaces the missing shard in the crystal that allowed the Skeksis to steal this essence. Light then flows through the crystal to put the Skeksis’ stolen energy back to balance. The kind Mystics are able to morph with the Skeksis, and return the stolen life energy to the universe. Can we relate this story to the inequities of this world? Discuss it with your family!
Inclusion- Hidden Figures (2016)- If the stories of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson, Black women inventors and mathematicians who worked at NASA, can’t teach us about the benefits of being inclusive, I don’t know whose can! These women contributed to major successes at NASA, and it could be said that without them, successful space travel wouldn’t have been possible. Starting their work in a segregated, Black human “computer” unit, they defied discrimination, skepticism and unfair laws (like having to walk to a different building to go to the segregated bathroom!) to make much needed contributions to science.
Antiracism- Kevin Hart’s Guide to Black History (2019)- Okay Kevin Hart is a comedian and antiracism is no joke. However, when children don’t learn Black history in school- or it’s tokenized, as inferred at the beginning of this Netflix special- the need for this alternative education is apparent. This need is further narrowed down for children not ready for films like 12 Years a Slave, which Kevin finds his young daughter and her friend watching. I have to admit I scratched my head at times at the humor, like the running gag about Kevin’s height, mistaking Weird Al for a bookie, a parade of Dad joke style puns, and the meta dialogue about the effectiveness of the jokes. Despite the joking around (or maybe because of it?), the stories of Black heroes are engaging and entertaining, giving your child many memorable examples of how racism and dehumanization can suppress but not contain or erase the important contributions Black men and women have been able to make, paving the way for future generations to dismantle systematic racism.
Empathy- Soul* (2020)- Many have decried Soul as “too deep” a movie for children, but to me, the message is very accessible when the focus is on the relationship between the main character, Joe, and 22, a soul reluctant to be born. Joe rediscovers his desire to live when he lets himself see the world through 22’s eyes- shows empathy for 22- rather than just take advantage of 22 to return to his body. This essential message, combined with the music of Jon Batiste, will make this movie a meaningful experience for your family- with discussions that support your family’s wonderings/beliefs about the meaning of life and life before/after death.
Kindness- Wonder (2017)- Wonder is a movie that shows children being unkind and othering Auggie, a child with a facial deformity. However, it shows the kindness and bravery of the friends who stood up for Auggie, and the kindness of Auggie, who needed to be gentle to himself and believe kindness was possible. The story also explores unkindness/kindness in more “typical” childhood relationships like the ones of Auggie’s older sister. This is a story that can help guide a discussion around the social dynamics your children may be experiencing now, or will in some form later, hopefully guiding them to make kind decisions, supportive of diverse friendships.
Respect- Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984)- Studio Ghibli appears here for the last time on my list. The need for respect is apparent in the post-apocalyptic setting of Nausicaa. Disrespect has caused a cycle of (literal) toxicity, that is most apparent at the story’s climax, when a baby forest creature is used as bait to cause its giant adult counterparts to stampede and crush everything in their path. Find out how Nausicaa discovers the way to break this toxic cycle, and discuss the ways your family can show respect to nature and family and community relationships as well!
*Directed by a Black movie maker- Jingle Jangle- David Talbot; Soul- Kemp Powers (codirector)
Equity- Consider having your child help donate to children in need. Be prepared to discuss with your children why we have inequities today.
Inclusion- Get to know your neighbors. Host a party. Invite the neighbors to dinner. It's so easy to go about our lives without really knowing and including those who lives around us. Inclusion starts in our own neighborhoods!
Antiracism- Consider hosting an exchange student. You may not have to practice antiracism in this situation, but then again you may! The American Exchange Project is an exciting program that places high school seniors in a different part of the country for one week. Might be something worth checking out!
Empathy- Similar to Ponyo, involve your children in taking care of a pet. Similar to Soul, play "dress up." Provide a range of choices so that children can imagine themselves in different scenarios.
Kindness- If your family encounters a lost item, work together to bring the item to a lost and found, or return it to the owner if the owner is known. When you supervise or hear about your children's interactions praise kindness, and disrupt unkindness. Be consistent!
Respect- There are so many forms of respect- for each other, for ourselves, for our belongings, for shared belongings, for our elders. In the way of Studio Ghibli, take time with your family to respect and experience nature. We're all connected to our planet, and this relationship reflects our interpersonal relationships. This could be as simple as caring for household plants or gardens, emphasizing a farm to table perception of food, or having your child participate in a Junior Ranger program at a National Park. Just being in nature provides a big boost for our mental health, and happier we feel, the more we can spread that happiness to others.
No comments:
Post a Comment