hey it’s ris

In Mako Mermaids we learn after a war the mermen were cast away to the land. We see a storyline where if mermen unlocked the secret chamber, they could drain the mermaids of all their power killing them. Mermaids fear that the mermen will harm them once again are afraid to unite with the mermen.

Throughout the first two movies we watched the various ways the status quo was upheld, an in HSM 3 we really learn that breaking free of the status quo is constant work. It isn't just upkept by people, but by ourselves. We get to see to see a glimpse of the emotional parts about breaking free of the status quo.

Sharpay's Fabulous Adventures had potential to be something interesting but unfortunately falls into the category of spin-offs that fell flat. I go over the reasons the movie fell flat for me and discuss what kind of sequel an iconic character like Sharpay would need. There were so many interesting ways her sequel could've been approached or more thought out, both in how Sharpay learns a lesson and her general storyline.

Shark Tale is an incredible movie that showcases how the patriarchy shapes self worth and the need to perform. Oscar feels as though he won't be a "somebody" until he lives at the top of the reef. Lenny is a vegetarian shark who can't live up to his father's expectations of what it means to be a real "shark," and he desires to run away. Oscar gets what he thought he wanted and realizes he still doesn't feel like "somebody." Lenny tries to escape from his father and disguise himself in hopes to stay in a place where he is accepted. Oscar and Lenny helped each other hold up this facade of who they thought they were supposed to be and in turn learn that they shouldn't have to perform, they should accept themselves as they are.

Recent discourse online regarding Barbie Island Princess has showed me Tika has a lot of haters. I've seen so many videos saying Tika was a problem, she was the REAL Villain. So, imagine my surprise when I watch the movie and am sitting in confusion. Who's the real villain, someone who stole a note OR someone plotting mass murder? Let's also look at what the discourse can show us on how we have impatience for children's mistakes.

Why was Gabriella treated as a problem in High School Musical? Why was Troy facing so much backlash for auditioning for a musical? Misogyny creeps into our language and thinking in various ways and these characters certainly felt it. When anyone breaks free of the status quo, you'll notice part of the criticism are rooted in misogyny. This episode covers the WHY Gabriella would be treated as a problem within the movie and touches on some of the misogyny we witness in Troy's storyline. If you aim to challenge the status quo, how does that make you a problem?

The patriarchy still persists because men are doing everything they can to keep it alive. When it comes to trying to maintain the facade of “masculinity” you have to ask yourself, who are they doing it for? The women don’t seemed to be impressed by it, so, they’re doing it for other men. But, does that serve them positivley? NO, what should be their closest relationships end up being weak and surface level.The Disney Channel original movie Eddie’s Million Dollar Cookoff showcases these points perfectly. Eddie’s Million Dollar Cookoff follows Eddie Ogden, star player of his baseball team. When Eddie discovers his new passion for cooking he is met with nothing but disdain from his friends and his dad (who is also his baseball coach). Eddie enters and gets into the Million Dollar Cookoff. When he learns that the Cookoff and the biggest game of the season are happening at the same time, he must make a big decision, baseball or cooking?

We actually learned how capitalism, healthcare and eugenics are connected from a young age. Robots (2005) follows Rodney on his journey in Robot City as he dreams of becoming an inventor. That gets spoiled when he finds out Bigweld's company was taken over and spare parts are no longer available for robots, upgrades only. profits > people. Rodney fights to do what's right to save the day. So many takeaways on how these systems are upheld by both policy and language.

Can it be possible to have a healthy relationship to the entertainment world? How does dehumanization tie into everything? Part 2 of Deconstructing Patriarchy as a Fangirl. I chat about accountability, values, parasocial relationships, dehumanization (etc). and how we can connect all these elements to patriarchy. There are so many insidious ways patriarchy can creep into our life and it's important to look into what that looks like as a fangirl, but also just as an everyday person. Deconstructing is important work. The reality is, we can connect these elements to any part of our life. It's our job to investigate how that shows up, and what we can do about it.At the end of the day, what does it really look like to live in the values you believe in? And what are the ways we've been socialized that keep us from doing so?

A rant on how we all need to be deconstructing patriarchy and ESPECIALLY if you are a fangirl. The patriarchy has taught women to be dismissive and underestimate things, how does this seep into the way fans act? Why are people defending celebrity men? Sharing some of my insights on how I've noticed this in my experience as a fangirl and how that's changed for me over the years.