Postfeminism at play: Pretend play with Disney princess transmedia in the early childhood education classroom

Authors

  • Tifanie Valade University of Ottawa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26443/mje/rsem.v58i3.10092

Keywords:

pretend play, early childhood education, ece, transmedia, popular culture, media, gender, feminism, postfeminism

Abstract

This article examines how young children take up gender and sexuality discourses embedded in Disney Princess transmedia narratives and merchandise. A feminist ethnographic study conducted in two Canadian early childhood education and care (ECEC) classrooms found that young children often take up stereotypically gendered, heteronormative roles from princess transmedia during pretend play. The author contends that princess play includes problematic postfeminist themes, yet also offers agentic, pleasurable roles for children to embody. Disney’s hyperfeminine princess aesthetic is sometimes utilized by girls to subvert inequitable gender hierarchies and claim powerful positions within play scenarios. However, femmephobia can result in reinforcement of hegemonic gender discourses via gender policing. Implications for gender equity in ECEC environments are discussed.

Author Biography

Tifanie Valade, University of Ottawa

holds a Bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies and a Master’s degree in Media Studies from Concordia University and is currently a graduate student and part-time professor at the University of Ottawa in the Faculty of Education. Her research and teaching interests include critical gender and sexuality studies, as well as equity and social justice issues in educational policy. She also investigates the relationship between gender, play, mass media and popular cultural narratives, particularly in early childhood education and care (ECEC) contexts. tvala075@uottawa.ca

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Published

2025-01-22

How to Cite

Valade, T. (2025). Postfeminism at play: Pretend play with Disney princess transmedia in the early childhood education classroom. McGill Journal of Education / Revue Des Sciences De l’éducation De McGill, 58(3), 57–80. https://doi.org/10.26443/mje/rsem.v58i3.10092

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