If you are a fan of everything Disney, like myself, you tend to find yourself defending your favorite movies. You hear the same arguments constantly:
"'Aladdin" teaches kids to change everything they are to get the girl, and stealing is okay."
"'The Little Mermaid" teaches girls to give up everything for a man."
"'Dumbo" is racist."—okay, that one is sadly true.
But the one that always grinds my gears the most is that "Beauty and the Beast" glorifies Stockholm Syndrome."
Before I get into what this article is really about, let me share my defense. Belle falls in love with her captor, yes, but she doesn't take his sh*t. Does no one notice that? She risks her own life to save her father, and when the Beast does flip his lid, she gets the hell out of there and only returns because the dude saved her life. Even after that, she still doesn't put up with it. Now, let me explain the real problem with one of the greatest Disney films of all time.
Gaston. Is. The. F*cking. Worst.
Why does no one talk about this? Why does everyone focus on the Stockholm Syndrome argument? Let us dive in as to why Gaston is literally the worst character in this film, and possibly in any Disney movie.
He thinks that just because he is hot, he can do whatever he wants and get any girl that he wants. He wants Belle because she's the most beautiful girl in the village. She's smart, she's different from the girls that throw themselves at him, and most importantly, she is a challenge. Men like Gaston gravitate towards women who are a challenge because they need assurance that they're as hot as they think they are if and when they get the girl.
Basically, Gaston is every f*ckboy most girls have ever had to deal with.
I will agree that Luke Evans is a beautiful human and was a perfect choice to play Gaston in the 2017 live-action "Beauty and the Beast" film. Yes, the song "Gaston" is one of the catchiest Disney songs ever, but still... HE IS THE WORST!
The worst scene in the original 1991 film is by far when Gaston plans his and Belle's entire wedding then barges into Belle's home practically demanding she marry him. He pretty much tries to seduce her with his vision of matrimony.
Like oh? Back the hell up dude.
Of course, Belle knows better and completely rejects him. This, of course, makes him mad because he is a straight, white male and is entitled to whatever he wants, right?
This dude literally gets an entire village to go and kill the Beast because he's mad that Belle doesn't want him. How dare she, right? What's even worse is that the village people are putty in his hands! They make fun of Maurice for trying to get them to help him save Belle, and they follow Gaston in the mob to the castle. This is utterly repulsive.
So, can we all agree that the real problem with "Beauty and the Beast" is not that Belle sees past the Beast's appearance and falls in love with him for the person that he is, but that the real issue is that Gaston is just the worst?
My case is closed.
