“Look Out New World,Here We Come”?

Abstract

In this essay, the authors argue that, as suggested by Giroux, animated films offer children intricate teachings about race and sexuality, guiding children through the complexities of highly racialized and sexualized scenarios. Moreover, the authors explain how animated films for children teach children how to maneuver within the general terrain of “race” and “sexuality,” and they highlight quite specific differences. Thus, in their role as agents of socialization and “portable professors,” these films provide children with the necessary tools to reinforce expectations about normalized racial and sexual dynamics.