America: (stolen) land of the free, home of the brave, and sprinkled with toxic masculinity. These all happen to be themes tackled in Disney's latest release. We can all learn something from the trials and tribulations faced by the characters of Frozen 2.
We all know the first Frozen movie was a box office hit and is still thriving to date. It conveyed to children that familial love can be more important than romantic love, which is essential to teach kids, especially in the era of over-sexualization. It gave us iconic songs like "Let It Go" and "In Summer", masterpieces that dads around the world are not ashamed to belt.
A few weeks ago, Frozen 2 was released, and IMHO, it's at a tie with the first movie. It was extremely realistic in the sense that America was built on stolen land, a parallel from the movie. At one point, Olaf asked about the history of Arendelle. The fictional kingdom, much like America, is based on patriotism and coexistence, but at the expense of those who were there before them. It shows many Americans' ignorance of this topic and is a perfect way to teach children about the history of this country.
Remember what I said about Frozen clearing the toxic masculinity pathway for fathers, too? This concept is addressed in the sequel with the character Kristoff, and his unsure demeanor when it comes to proposing to Anna. His character sings an emotional song about being lost without her, showing young boys that it is okay to showcase emotions, and not always be "big and bad". In the song, he calls Anna his "true north" and by the end of the movie, he proposes. In between these events, Kristoff's dialogue shows youth what it means to be supportive in a relationship. When Anna is preparing to battle, he tells her that he is there for her and will get her whatever she needs to fight. It needs to be conveyed at a young age that it's okay to let go of the toxic masculinity and not "save" the girl, but be there for her emotionally. This message also tells viewers that girls do not need a hero to fight their battles for them, but that they are strong and able. Kristoff tells Anna that his love for her is not fragile, a great example of unconditional love.
In relation to parenting, a song sung by Olaf in the film, "When I Am Older," is a helpful way of explaining difficult things to children. It is also a way of telling kids not to worry about certain things, and to just be kids. It will all make sense when they are older.
