We Need 2000s Disney Now More Than Ever

So here we are in the year 2017. An egotistical businessman is president, Toenail Lorax can't shut her trap, and the country is more divided than ever before. Times like these is what makes most Millenials and Gen Z-ers (today's teens) miss the golden days of their childhood, when global warming wasn't as bad as it is today, Avril Lavigne was topping charts, and we looked up to Kim Possible instead of Kim Kardashian. We often looked to TV as a common past time, and we grew up watching Disney Channel. Most people would agree that Disney in the 2000's was a lot better than it is today. Shows were more entertaining and taught us very valuable lessons.

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Shows like The Proud Family, That's So Raven, and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody were able to teach us worldly values involving the respect of other people and their cultures and upbringings along with hilarious antics. 2000s Disney Channel was also a more diverse Disney Channel. Eight out of the 20 original Disney sitcoms and animated series that were on air between 2000 and 2009 on Disney channel had protagonists of color. So far since 2010, there have been only two shows (not counting series with reruns) with a protagonists of color: A.N.T. Farm (2011-2014) and K.C. Undercover starring Zendaya. It is important that kids today are exposed to diversity in TV, especially when Millenials are the most racially diverse generation and that generations to come are only going to be even more diverse.

Disney has an audience that ranges from many different backgrounds from an age range from toddlers to early teens. As the LGBT+ movement is one of the staple movements of the decade, it would be great if Disney included some queer characters in its' shows in example to how rival networks Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network has.The only time there was queer representation on Disney Channel was in a 2014 episode of Good Luck Charlie (2010-2014), when a lesbian couple paid the family a visit about a play date. Of course this made for "controversy", especially among conservative viewers. Disney's goal for their TV programs is for quality family entertainment; but what does "quality" or "family" mean? These definitions are changing as America is becoming more outwardly diverse in many different ways. Parents shouldn't shelter things from their children because they are personally (and wrongly) uncomfortable with what they consider to be "immoral". There have been rumors about the main character of the show Girl Meets World coming out as queer sometime in the story line. The actress who plays the main character, Rowan Blanchard, has openly identified herself as pansexual.

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A very common feature of Disney shows is music. The protagonists have almost always involved somewhat in music. Penny Proud from The Proud Family (2001-2005) has sung a few songs on the show. Raven from That's So Raven sung a song to be on a talent search show. Even the show Hannah Montana was about a girl who was a regular country-California teen by day and an international pop star by night. Something that I've started to notice through Disney's transition between decades is that shows started to be centered around showbiz. Hannah Montana, Austin and Ally, Sonny with a Chance, Shake it Up all come to mind, even though I know there are more. I am not really sure what kind of agenda Disney is trying to push with these shows. I mean, it would be really cool to be so talented and famous, especially when we were younger, but can kids easily relate to the desire to be notorious? Shows on Disney should have characters that kids can see themselves knowing. I could see myself knowing Zack and Cody Martin, Raven Baxter, even Teddy Duncan from Good Luck Charlie, a show from the 2010s. I can't imagine knowing or relate to many of the other main characters from Disney shows. My request for Disney; less showbiz, more characters that are easy to know.

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I must say it is refreshing to see another butt-kicking female superhero on Disney. The show K.C.: Undercover features a teenager who is a spy while also dealing with regular high school problems. I believe that this show is almost a live-action version of the 2000s animated favorite Kim Possible. K.C. Undercover is a show that's doing Disney right. The show does not feature showbiz, does recognize race, and made an episode attacking misogyny. I can relate to KC. I can see myself knowing her instead of Cece Jones (no tea no shade).

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Disney shows from the 2000's have done a really good job of discussing worldly issues. From That's So Raven alone, I can recall there being episodes about theft, smoking, racism, environmentalism, body positivity, and so much more. Most of these subjects haven't really been touched on in shows today on Disney. 2000s Disney is part of the reason why so many of my peers and I are well rounded. We need more shows that accurately represent the real world, because not everyone is born with musical talent and develops a relationship with their close friend of the opposite sex.

PS: Can we please get rid of whoever is styling these kids on these shows??? Seriously what is with the color clashing and pattern mixing and overlayering? It's not doing anyone justice.

That turtle neck-flannel combo tho

Honestly, why?

And I rest my case.