What do you think about Bambi?

Hey! I'm an animator writing a thesis about Bambi. While I'm mostly talking about the movies impact on the future of animation and its impact on culture and ecology, I have also been encouraged by my teachers to take a look at female representation and sexism in this Disney movie. I was skeptic at first to critically look at how these subjects are represented in a movie about animals in a forest, but while doing research I certainly changed my mind. I consider myself very progressive but I'm still a white man writing about one of my favorite movies made by (mostly) white men in an era dominated by white men. As such I think it would be good for me to hear different opinions. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Do you agree or disagree with me, do you have something to add, what are your general thoughts about Disney movies from this era, what would you have done differently etc. This is what I've written:

"While mentioning that Bambi was ahead of its time in certain aspects in the last subchapter, it is important to consider the ways Bambi has not aged that well in cultural and social aspects. Many old Disney movies are quite problematic, with Dumbo (1941) that released one year earlier even having overtly racist themes and references. Bambi does not present us with racist themes but it does offer us stereotypical gender representation, sexism and other very conservative viewpoints.

To get a first indication of gender representation, we may try the Bechel Test. According to bechteltest.com (n.d. 2022) “The Bechdel Test [...] is a simple test which names the following three criteria: (1) it has to have at least two women in it, who (2) who talk to each other, about (3) something besides a man.”

We will use this test to make a first measurement of female representation in Bambi.

1) Bambi’s mother is not named. There’s two named female characters: Mrs. Quail (who’s a mother) and Faline (Bambi’s love interest).

2) No, they do not talk to eachother.

3) If the female characters talk, it’s mostly about Bambi.

So initially Bambi already fails this representation test.

Taking a more in-depth look we can see more lack of diversity and representation. Heterosexual romance is a very strong theme, implied to be the natural order of things. When Bambi and his male friends grow up into puberty finding a heterosexual love interest becomes a trial they all have to go through. The female characters that then come in to the movie are very one-dimensional, not to mention sexually agressive. They are made curvy with long eyelashes. After being seduced by the female character, Bambi instantly gets into a fight over his love interest with another male deer.

Bambi is raised by a single mother. His father is implied to be the great prince of the forest. He does not help raise Bambi. When Bambi is adult and Faline gives birth to twins, Bambi is also not there to help her raise them. No reason is given for their absence in raising the young. When Faline gets hunted by Mr. Mans dogs, it’s up to Bambi to save her. There’s no heroic female characters. Bambi’s mom might be a mentor character though.

Though many of these hetero-patriarchal themes are present in the original book too, Disney certainly adds another layer to it. One thing that is not present in the books but is in the movie is the inherent hierarchy of the forest. In the book Bambi is not a prince and he is born in solitude, not in the middle of a circle of admiring animals. Disney did not have give the female characters curves and long eyelashes.

In conclusion, Bambi might not be as obviously sexist or racist as other Disney movies from the same age but there are a lot of subtly sexist and heteronormative themes present in the movie that should be kept in mind and should have been done differently, no matter if it was produced 80 years ago or now. Even New York Times in 1942 was put off by Disney “[...] putting false eyelashes on his enticing female bunnies.”

Thanks for reading!