I’m happy to inform anyone reading not in the know that The Little Mermaid has been considered a trans Disney story by the queer community for decades. Sure, it may not be on the level of Mulan and the song “Reflection,” but a girl belting out about how she wants to be “part of your world” and going out of her way to change her body to live her ideal life? If that’s not slap you on the face levels of transness I don’t know what is!
Or maybe you should just listen to our new Ursula, Melissa McCarthy, “If that’s not a world we’re in right now, I don’t know what is.” If you could use a bit more context, here’s her discussing the movie in a recent interview with Extra.
“It is two young people that are carving out and fighting to choose the life they want to live instead of being assigned one, and if that’s not a world we’re in right now, I don’t know what is. And to have a parent just be terrified, ‘What happens if my child goes out and lives a way that wasn’t in the plan?’ I mean, it’s terrifying, and to watch how people respond to fear and fear begets anger and, unfortunately, that’s incredibly relevant and it’s all wrapped up in this beautiful world with humor and humanity.”
A highly organized wave of trans hatred has been sweeping across the United States as conservatives fight to remove human rights for a marginalized population. This is happening despite polls showing people overwhelmingly oppose these anti-transgender laws. There is no way to deny that trans people are “fighting to choose the life they want to live instead of being assigned one” with this in mind.
Melissa also hit the nail on the head once more when she said, “It’s terrifying, and to watch how people respond to fear and fear begets anger.” Target has faced terroristic threats of violence for simply having Pride merchandise for sale. The Proud Boys, a far-right neofascist organization known for acts of violence, is threatening a “terrifying” Pride Month this coming June. Trans people and their families have been forced to flee certain states, and not everyone has the money or resources to escape this ongoing threat against their lives and safety. It has been argued that these discriminatory laws that could take children away from parents and remove life-saving care means we have entered the ninth stage of genocide in regard to trans people in the United States. Never again is right now.
“What happens if my child goes out and lives a way that wasn’t in the plan?” That’s a great question Melissa, what if? It’s as though parents treat children like property, demanding they live the lives they expect from them or else they are no longer deserving of their love and affection. I’ll be vulnerable with you for a moment — I’m trans and my father not only refuses to speak to me under any circumstance, but derides trans people like me at every given opportunity. It feels as though the media has fed us lies about unconditional love from parents all our lives when faced with the way adults are treating their literal children these days.
But truthfully, The Little Mermaid gives me a tiny shred of hope in this regard. A brand new movie from a massive brand that an unfathomable number of people will watch has the kinds of themes these bigots or otherwise on-the-fence parents and viewers need to see right now. It’s obvious to see just how disastrous it is for King Triton to try and deny his daughter’s truth, it almost results in her literal death! It’s just as obvious how much happier Ariel is living the life she has chosen for herself, the life that dare I say it, she is destined to live. She may want legs instead of fins, but it doesn’t mean that the love between this parent and child has to change just because her path forward in life has. It’s just the same for trans people; this new appearance and life doesn’t change any of the loving bonds a family has formed together.
When Tangled hit theaters it proved a movie from Disney could help educate child abuse victims and do a small part to make our world a safer place for kids. I just hope that when The Little Mermaid makes its splash on the silver screen it can do the same for hurting trans youth and adults across America or anywhere else in the world right now. If a Disney film can open even just a few eyes and teach a valuable lesson, then maybe there was a reason for his live-action remake after all.
