Clothing And Stereotypes In Walt Disney's Aladdin

Despite the fact that Walt Disney's Aladdin is seen more as a romance focused story, there are themes that are covered inside of the movie that are fascinating to consider and think about. The film is focused on the main character Aladdin above everything else. He is a road urchin with a pet monkey who falls desperately in love with a beautiful princess named Jasmine. Throughout this beautiful story, they display how the characters actions and style of clothing reveals forms of racism, sexism, and stereotypes.

There are many ways Aladdin depicts sexism. One way is how the women in the movie dress. Aladdin sings the song "One Step Ahead" There was a scene that got the attention of many. Aladdin is running away from the guards and while he is

escaping, he ends up in a whore house.

The ladies in there are wearing revealing outfits and veils covering their faces. A veil is a religious part of the Arab culture. "The veils are see-through turning something that is supposed to be religiously affiliated into a sexual innuendo. The veil is used as a form of seduction, further arousing curiosity.”(Nelson, Alyssa).

Aladdin is a poor homeless man. He lives with his pet monkey Abu in an abandoned building that overlooks the city. Aladdin's home and lifestyle resemble poverty, having no belongings, finding shelter wherever he can and stealing items in order for him to survive. Aladdin is depicted as a thief, which is a typical generalization among Arabs. Arabs are said to be cheap, always scheming, and always after items that benefit them. This negatively stereotypes Arabs. In a Disney movie, negative acts must be defended by keeping up the great name of the 'saint". There is a scene toward the start of the movie where Aladdin steals a roll of bread and right when he is about to eat it, he sees two poor kids looking through trash bins for something to eat. He then gives them the chunk of bread, which makes up for his robbery. He turns out to be a hero. His heroic characteristic

erases the stereotype that is given to Arabs. In the opening tune "Arabian Nights", the stereotyping begins in the first couple lines of the song, it reads "Oh, I come from a land, from a faraway place where the caravan camels roam. Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face. It's barbaric, but hey, it's home (Ashman)." “Thus the film immediately characterizes the Arab world as alien, exotic, and "other." Arab Americans see this film as perpetuating the tired stereotype of the Arab world as a place of deserts and camels, of arbitrary cruelty and barbarism” said by Marvin Wingfield and Bushra Karaman from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination committee. Lastly the "violent Arab" is the most repeating stereotype within this movie. For example, the guards are always pulling out their sword any chance they get. Another example is when princess Jasmine steals an apple and gives it to a starving little boy, the seller selling the item tries to punish her for taking the album. (Representations of Arabs in Disney’s Aladdin.). This is also makes Arabs look to bad to sensitive viewers such as children.