We all need heroes, myself included. Not necessarily so they can shoot spiderwebs off buildings and save innocent bystanders (although I wouldn’t mind if Tom Holland were to suddenly materialize), but so that we at least have people to look up to and whose good traits we can emulate. Maybe it’s your mom, your dad, or Michelle Obama (and if so, same here). And, while I’ve admired many real-life heroes, some of the key figures in the most formative years of my childhood happened to be fictional.
Like many little girls, I looked for heroes who were like me. Whenever I read a book or watched a movie, I’d inevitably find myself looking for the heroines, the strong female role models.
And, while girl detective extraordinaire Nancy Drew and insanely talented witch Hermione Granger will always make the top of my "favorite fictional characters" list, there’s always been one female protagonist who holds a unique place in this line: Mulan.
Before she was a Disney icon with arguably one of the best soundtracks ever (if you say you don’t belt out "I’ll Make a Man Out of You," you’re probably lying), she was the subject matter of the sixth-century Chinese folksong, "Ballad of Mulan."
Whether her story is historically accurate or not is beside the point - or, at least my point; this heroine not only mustered the courage to go to war in her father’s place, but she also did so in a time period when females were far from welcome to serve in the military. Although Disney probably embellished some portions for storytelling purposes, the core themes of independence, loyalty, bravery, and female badassery remain.
So, what makes Mulan so special to me? In short, I dressed up as her for Halloween, and no one batted an eye. Not as superficial as it seems, I promise. It’s taken me a few years to recognize that I love Mulan both because of her strong character and because she actually looks like me.
Now, I can already hear some critics telling me to shut up, stop whining, and be grateful that I have any inspiring heroines at all. Like I said, I’ll always adore female protagonists, such as Nancy Drew, with her sharp wits and precocious talent for solving mysteries. And, both Hermione Granger and actress-activist Emma Watson continue to be some of my favorite girl power symbols.
The way I see it, though, it’s crucial to include representation for ethnicities whose appearances don’t necessarily fit the "blond and blue-eyed" mold, which easily accommodates characters like Nancy Drew. Protagonists such as Mulan, Moana, and Pocahontas show young people of all ethnicities that they matter, that their skin color and cultural background don’t exclude them from exciting adventures and heroic feats.
Sure, some may argue that there are bigger and potentially more important problems, like world hunger and poverty. But, showing kids during their most formative years that there’s a huge world filled with different outward appearances, traditions, and ethnic backgrounds sets a solid foundation for future empathy and open-mindedness. These goals may not be a matter of life or death, but they certainly contribute to a more educated society and hopefully a better world.
This shouldn’t be a case of "us versus them." Mixed representation doesn’t mean that we should stop making movies and writing books with Caucasian characters, nor should we take this as a cue to throw in the token Asian, African-American, Pacific Islander, etc. and call it a day. Diversity, whether that be of race, (dis)ability, gender, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic, should be normalized and embraced, especially when current children’s literature and movies don’t necessarily reflect today’s population demographics.
A change like this starts with opening markets for it. We have to show publishing and production companies that we want and will pay for entertainment that lets voices of all kinds be heard. Everyone deserves to have their own Mulan - just as I did.
