I agree with the underlying point of Emily DeLanzo’s article “Disney love creates false fantasies.” Disney, throughout its almost century-long reign in animation, has crafted ideas of life that glorify feudalism, espouse the objectification and idealization of women’s (and men’s!) bodies and gender roles, and lionize an illustration of racism which was only slightly ameliorated with the outrage over “Song of the South.” But to vilify an entire art form and shame a group of women you don’t even know because of a misplaced grudge against society for not providing you with a prince of your own? That’s pathetic.
    
Perhaps the element of Emily’s diatribe with which I take the most issue is the argument itself. I see where she’s coming from: women, relationships, society, independence, etc. But in the very same breath, she exercises the same offensive language she hopes to stage herself against. Calling the famous villain from “The Little Mermaid” a “fat psycho” reinforces a shameful label. Maybe in a different society, Ursula would have been admired for her cleverness or self-confidence. Furthermore, regardless of these Disney women’s dress, demeanor or life choices, none of them are “sluts.” “Slut” is a term used to degrade, disempower and denigrate the women of today’s society by creating a stereotype that women who sell their bodies are somehow worth less than those who don’t. That Emily used it in such an insulting and misogynistic way only speaks to the way she is perhaps void of the actual experiences and lifestyles of these women to such a degree that she can no longer effectively judge who is in the wrong.
   
 But the basic idea here is simple. Women and men can be over-reliant on significant others and place too much weight on creating or sustaining relationships in general. In no uncertain terms, it would be gratifying to see every person in this world capable of happiness and success without “needing” someone else. Still, it is more gratifying to know that every one of those same people is capable of making that choice themselves, and any respectable human being would not discredit someone’s lifestyle choices, no matter what they are. Any person who can’t appreciate those freedoms should probably stop writing under the guise of women’s lib.

Megan Shutt
Senior in aerospace engineering
mschutt@utk.edu