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Elsa as Horse Whisperer in Disney’s Frozen 2 : Opportunity “Nokk”s to Quash Gender Stereotypes

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  • Lauren Dundes

    (Department of Sociology, McDaniel College, Westminster, MD 21157, USA)

Abstract

Frozen 2 (2019) provided Disney with the opportunity to move past discomfort about the confluence of women’s sexuality and power in Queen Elsa portrayed in Frozen (2013). Yet in Frozen 2 , Elsa remains romantically unattached, despite audience interest in her love life in the six years following the release of Frozen . In Frozen 2 , Elsa forms a bond with a mythological male horse, a Nokk, whom she first battles, and then tames, showcasing her horse-whispering talents while building intimacy with the equine. The symbolism of Elsa’s domestication of the willful Nokk relates to the gynocentric horse and pony genre that explores girls’ desire for intimacy within a fictional world. In Frozen 2 , however, substituting a male horse for a relationship with a human allows Disney to sidestep two potential controversies: (1) a queer love interest for Elsa, and (2) the portrayal of Elsa as wielding more power than a non-magically endowed male partner. In addition, Elsa’s taming of the horse in Frozen 2 places her in the realm of equestrianism, a woman-dominated sport where femininity is nevertheless devalued. As a result, her skills as a horse whisperer do not threaten men’s ascendancy, reflecting real-life gender dynamics in equestrian sport. These themes show how Disney balked at modernizing Elsa, retreating to outdated conceptions of gender roles rather than depicting progressive gender dynamics and sexuality in Disney royalty.

Suggested Citation

  • Lauren Dundes, 2020. "Elsa as Horse Whisperer in Disney’s Frozen 2 : Opportunity “Nokk”s to Quash Gender Stereotypes," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-11, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:9:y:2020:i:5:p:86-:d:360471
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lauren Dundes & Madeline Streiff Buitelaar & Zachary Streiff, 2019. "Bad Witches: Gender and the Downfall of Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos and Disney’s Maleficent," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-17, June.
    2. Charu Uppal, 2019. "Over Time and Beyond Disney—Visualizing Princesses through a Comparative Study in India, Fiji, and Sweden," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-24, March.
    3. Caroline Clarke & David Knights, 2019. "Who's a good boy then? Anthropocentric masculinities in veterinary practice," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 267-287, April.
    4. Michael Macaluso, 2018. "Postfeminist Masculinity: The New Disney Norm?," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(11), pages 1-10, November.
    5. Charness, Gary & Rustichini, Aldo, 2011. "Gender differences in cooperation with group membership," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 72(1), pages 77-85, May.
    6. Lauren Dundes & Madeline Streiff & Zachary Streiff, 2018. "Storm Power, an Icy Tower and Elsa’s Bower: The Winds of Change in Disney’s Frozen," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(6), pages 1-29, May.
    7. Cassandra Primo, 2018. "Balancing Gender and Power: How Disney’s Hercules Fails to Go the Distance," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(11), pages 1-13, November.
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    1. Patricia Alonso-Ruido & Iris Estévez & Cristina Varela-Portela & Bibiana Regueiro, 2023. "College Students’ Stereotyped Beliefs," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-11, May.

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