Petition Calls for Disney to Create a Movie with a Positive Role for Stepmothers

Petition Calls for Disney to Create a Movie with a Positive Role for Stepmothers. Kelsea Laegreid is looking to bring a more accurate and positive twist to the stereotypical depictions of stepmothers, and it’s about time! Recently, Kelsea sat down with her young son to watch a movie until she realized the film, like many others, painted the stepmother to be “cruel and evil”. Wanting to make a positive change in media for families who come in all shapes and sizes.

Related: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s ‘Cinderella’ Coming to Disney+ This Month

Kelsea’s petition reads:

“Even though it’s 2020 and families of all shapes and sizes are accepted by most, stepmothers are still portrayed as cruel, evil villains in popular culture. Stepmothers are characterized in movies and books as willfully ignoring their stepchildren in the best case or denigrating and abusing them in the worst case. 

Recently, I sat down with my cuddly 5yo stepson to watch a classic Disney movie that was one of my favorites from childhood. Five minutes in, it occurred to me that I would be introducing my son to an evil stepmother character and quickly changed movies. In response to my answer as to why I changed the movie, my son replied something to the effect that “stepmothers can be mean in movies.” It broke my heart that there was no similar movie I could turn to to reinforce the message that stepmothers can also be nice and loving in movies. 

Walt Disney Pictures (“Disney”) has perpetuated this stereotype in countless movies over the past 80 years – including several since 2010. If Google results are any indication trends and general popular beliefs, these are the titles of the top 3 results from a search of “Disney+stepmother”:

– 10 Disney Movies that Give Stepmothers a Bad Rap (https://thestir.cafemom.com/movies/193804/10_disney_movies_that_give

– Tough Love – The Villains Lair (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBF5l9rWQFs

– Top 5 Evil Stepmothers in Animated Movies (https://www.liveabout.com/top-evil-stepmothers-in-animated-movies-2421061

While Disney is not the only film studio to regularly portray the “evil stepmother”, they should be the first to promote stepmothers in a positive light. Disney movies and stories have set the tone throughout recent history by creating iconic characters that live for decades and beyond. Children are typically introduced to Disney movies at a young, impressionable age and these movies inform fundamental beliefs that can last a lifetime. Disney could help stem negative stereotypes and help support children’s understanding of blended families.

Please join me in asking Disney to produce a major animated film that we can enjoy with our (step) kids that includes a supportive stepmother role. Thank you!“

Related: Evil Stepsisters Movie in Development for Disney by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo

You can learn more and/or sign the petition by CLICKING HERE

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Featured Photo Credit: Disney

Source: Change.org

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