Mickey’s main squeeze: the gendered portrayal of Minnie Mouse in the early era (1928 – 1935) and modern era (2013 – 2019)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Despite the important role of Disney’s Mickey Mouse in animation history and the abundance of research focused on the Disney princesses, there is a notable lack of scholarship on Mickey’s leading lady, Minnie Mouse. Focusing on the gendered portrayal of Minnie Mouse, we qualitatively analyzed forty cartoon shorts from 1928–1935 and fifty shorts from 2013–2019. Findings reveal that Minnie upholds traditional femininity in three main ways: by offering help and support to others; as the object of Mickey’s romantic affection; and as a character who needs to be rescued from difficult situations. Although Minnie occasionally flips the script by revealing a more independent and assertive personality, Disney’s emphasis on her traditionally feminine behaviors persists across both eras. This stability in Minnie’s gendered portrayal represents a sharp contrast with the Disney princesses whose portrayals have been shown to shift and evolve. These findings highlight how Disney has responded to its problematic past portrayals by creating new characters rather than updating its pre-existing cast.