This thesis explores the relationship between changes in social ideals and the development of female characters in Disney films. It focuses on four key areas: perceptions of race, gender, beauty standards, and sexual orientation. The theoretical part presents the historical evolution of these ideals and the role of mass media in shaping them, with a special emphasis on the influence of Disney’s productions, which significantly shape children's worldview. In the empirical section, I analyze fourteen selected Disney films and compare the representation of female characters over time. More recent films feature greater racial and physical diversity and fewer traditional gender stereotypes. Despite this progress, the area of sexual orientation remains largely overlooked. Disney thus emerges as an influential medium that not only reflects but also co-creates social ideals.
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