I never thought I’d see the day when Disney used the word “mansplaining.” But, they did– in an animated short in a collaboration with Lego, which used the characters from “Frozen.” The episode is called Lego Disney: “Frozen Northern Lights.”
So, what happens? Our favorite characters (or really, your kid’s faves), Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven go on an adventure to restore the Northern Lights. When the plans inevitably go wrong (because what would be the point if they didn’t?), Anna has an idea. Kristoff, however, tries to make it seem like his idea (as men historically have).
Here’s a glimpse:
“I think we can kayak farther north,” Anna says.
Then, Kristoff chimes in, “Uh, no, I think we should kayak farther north.”
But thankfully, Sven points out his foolishness, not letting Kristoff get away with trying to take the credit: “She literally just said that. Stop mansplaining.”
It’s kind of amazing how the insertion of the word makes the episode educational, but without beating us over the head. Kids are not dumb–they know when something is supposed to “teach” them something, or has an overly didactic moral –which can sometimes feel cheesy, even for them. (Although if you want cute and kind of cheesy in a good way, check out Frozen’s Instagram. Olaf’s dance is kind of amazing).
I really enjoyed how Lego and Disney handled the case of mansplaining–and had fun with it. Way to go. As a whole, “Frozen” has been a monumental departure for Disney, focusing on an independent girl in a modern way.
Don’t forget to check out the clip below–and show it to your kids:
