I'm sure we've all had the moments when we feel like we're getting old. For me, a big one slapped me in the face recently when I was talking to a five year old I've known since she was born. I asked her if she wanted to watch cartoons, and she said she did, but she wanted to watch weird shows I had never heard of.
"Do you want to watch Spongebob, Haley?"
"No, I want to watch Octonauts!"
What? New things are coming out every day, and the cartoons, movies, and stories I grew up with less than two decades ago are being phased out. However, there are certain themes that just don't die, and feminism is one of them. Yes, I used the dreaded 'F-word'.
In our lifetime, the disparity between sexes won't go away, but we can all do our part to bring gender equality closer to fruition by teaching girls that they can do anything boys can do, and by teaching boys that they aren't better than girls. The best way, I have found, to teach others new lessons, whether they're five years old or 20, isn't by lecturing. To really make an impact on someone, you have to get their attention.
What better way to get the attention of a kid (or, let's face it, a college student who is binge watching Netflix to avoid responsibility) than a thrilling action movie with an underdog hero who is also an awesome woman?
The answer is that there is no better way, and "Mulan" is the movie I'm talking about
"Mulan" has a ton of awesome scenes, but the most important things in it is the the theme of the movie: Feminism. Now, Mulan isn't the in-your-face, let me tell you why women can do anything we want type of feminism. Mulan is the feminist that goes, does whatever she wants, and proves she can. "Mulan" is the movie that showcases the premise of feminism rather than painstakingly explaining it.
Throughout the film, she's confronted with discrimination. She starts the film by hating having to cake on make up and go see a matchmaker so that she can be "a girl worth fighting for." When she gets to the matchmaker, she's immediately insulted for her looks. I guess some things never change. Can I just get a quick amen from all the people who find it is as ridiculous as Mulan did? Amen.
Then, she is forced to fake her identity so that she may join an army to save her father's reputation.. Of course, she struggles initially, but that's the beauty of the movie. While struggling through training, we're listening to the iconic song "I'll make a man out of you." Oh, the irony no kid ever understood (proving that this movie isn't just for kids).
After being kicked out of training, Mulan defies the system once again, and stays. Not only that, she tackles the task of climbing to the top of an unreasonably large pole to retrieve an arrow, a feat no man in the camp has successfully completed. The next morning, everyone in the camp sees "Ping" atop the pole, and Mulan officially has the respect of the other warriors. Go her.
Mulan is confronted with a major problem when she and the other soldiers unexpectedly run into the Huns. A fearsome group of lethal worriers that far outnumbered the Chinese seem to surely doom Mulan and her troop. Wait, who is that coming to the rescue? Mulan! Being the most bold of the entire group, she sees the opportunity to bury the Huns in snow, and runs toward them to get the perfect angle for her rocket. The symbolism here is so perfect. Mulan is facing her oppressors, comes out on top, saving not only herself, but the men she is accompanying. She's badly injured, and it blows her cover.
After being deserted in the mountains, she finds that some of the Huns are still alive, and are coming for the emperor. Again, she defies the system and comes to the rescue. This time, it takes every man listening to a woman to beat the Huns, and Mulan is the one who personally defeats their leader.
We see in the end that the emperor is nothing but grateful to Mulan for saving all of China, and we get the biggest piece of advice from the whole movie. To all feminists out there, remember what the emperor had to say; "The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all."
Am I the only one who gets chills when all of China bows to her?
And, in the end, we see that being the bold, fearless, go-getter woman she is, got her everything, including the guy.
We can all look to Mulan as an awesome role model and as an inspiration to be yourself and not let any wall, man, or glass ceiling stand in your way. This movie will never lose its value; whether its for future generations, or for us college kids to watch alone on a lame Friday night, we need to remember the lessons she taught us.
There are a couple real life Mulans out there, and they deserve our respect. Congratulations to Capt. Kristen Griest and 1st Lt. Shaye Haver for being the first women ever to complete the Army Ranger Course. Thank you for blazing the trail and knocking down every barrier.
