https://movies.disney.com/turning-red
After doing my Turning Red review, a lot of other reviews came out about various issues people had with the movie. It made me want to address some of the things people – mainly Christians – are complaining about. It was such a long post, I decided to reboot my entire blog and start this “series.” So from here on out, it’s all new stuff!
Below are the issues that have been raised about Turning Red and my thoughts on how we can turn these “issues” into positive learning moments for us and our kids.
1. It’s about puberty, and parents are uncomfortable.
So, I get it. I do. Every parent wants to control how and when this subject is brought up. However…a lot of Pixar movies deal with more mature themes than this, and have way scarier elements. Except for “Cars,” not too many Pixar films are for kids under 7. They just aren’t. So add Turning Red to that pile.
And if your child is over 7, you should probably be having this conversation pretty soon anyway. The puberty range is between 8-14, which means you should be laying the ground work before then. This world is moving fast. It’s going to tell your kid about their changing bodies well before you’re ready. Maybe well before they’re ready, too. And in ways not as positive as Turning Red did.
But I get it. It’s uncomfortable.
However, maybe the reason it’s so uncomfortable is because we don’t talk about it enough. This movie addresses that, and I think it’s a positive thing. It actually helped me process some random memories/feelings from my puberty era, and that was incredibly helpful. It could be a really cool way to introduce your kid to the process, and – more importantly – how to handle their giant, panda sized emotions.
2. Ming’s portrayal
So my big issue with Turning Red was the scene with Ming and the convenience store guy. It was so cringe, I thought at first it was an internal fear that Mei was having rather than an actual part of the plot. If this was real life, it would have ruined both the guy’s life, and Mei’s life. (But it’s a movie, so it didn’t.)
However, when people complain about Ming’s portrayal, they aren’t usually talking about this scene. They’re upset because she is shown as being in the wrong when she is just trying to protect her child.
The thing is, Ming IS in the wrong. She put Mei on a mattress in a bare room like a literal ANIMAL for goodness sake! Turning Red shows the accurate consequences of an overbearing, overprotective mother. (The other consequences you can see in Encanto.)
What’s fascinating about Turning Red is the writers took great care to show that Ming’s actions are always, always, ALWAYS motivated by love and concern for Mei. A mother can be overbearing AND doing everything out of deep, deep love. I think it’s really cool they could show that sort of depth in an hour and a half movie.
If you’re still upset, I think it might be worth pondering: are you bothered by her depiction, or are you upset to find elements of yourself in Ming’s behavior? Maybe, maybe not. Only you have that answer. Being a parent is so hard. So don’t beat yourself up for your mistakes. Turn over a new leaf for yourself. Like Ming did in the end.
And you still have the right to not like how Ming was portrayed. I’m just saying, it’s worth considering why.
3. Mei’s “rebellion.”
Ok, I have A LOT to say about this one.
Call me a millennial mom – because I am – but I honestly didn’t see Mei’s actions as rebellion. Did she make wrong choices? Absolutely. But what I saw was a young girl breaking free from her suffocating upbringing. Breaking free of generational trauma. Becoming who she is meant to be.
And parents, that is GOOD. We should be encouraging our children to become the people God intended them to be!! Obviously, we should provide structure and guidance. But those should come with opportunities to find themselves, like signing them up for art classes or soccer, and letting them be the crazy red pandas they are…
AND TAKING THEM TO THE CONCERT OF THEIR FAVORITE BAND!!!!
My goodness, what Mei wanted was harmless: to go see her heart throb. All of the girls’ parents should have said: “Sure, but we’re coming with you.” That is the compromise that should have happened. Yes, the price was extravagant (especially for 2002…I thought that was weird). So they definitely should have helped earn money. Which would definitely include changing into a giant red panda for photo ops. (Which Mei’s parents actually did in the end, in order to repair the damage from the panda fight.)
Anyway, Mei felt rejected when her mom first refused to let her go AND THEN threw shade at her favorite band. How Mei handled it was wrong – but it was in direct correlation to how her parents rejected her. How do you expect a kid to act if you don’t give them room to be themselves and then openly mock their passions?
Rebelling…or Discovering for Herself?
Mei made questionable, even dangerous, choices; but she wasn’t rebelling. To label it as rebellion is such a disservice to her and every child out there. Rebellion is a rejection of family values. Mei didn’t do that. Honestly, Mei was trying to get back to the HEART of her family values. You see that in the end – when she meets her ancestress and basically receives her blessing to keep her red panda. Mei had to discover what her beliefs meant to her.
👏👏👏 This is something all Christians MUST do!! 👏👏👏
I cannot stress this enough. Let your children ask questions – even the hard questions. Let them wrestle with doubt. Give them loving guidance. Don’t try and suppress their curiosity, or take away all the things they love in life and make them sleep in an empty room. (Yeah, I seriously can’t get over that.) Otherwise, it’s just your faith; not theirs.
Granted, most 13 year-olds don’t have the sort of self-awareness Mei does. Most people can’t break their unhealthy family cycles until they’re adults. It’s why I mentioned in my first review how there was a tinge of sadness to the whole movie – it was unrealistic. However, it’s a noble goal.
Like I said, Mei made mistakes and did things that were wrong/dangerous. So talk about that with your kid – and reassure them that you want to help them find themselves in Christ. Our lives should look like Ming and Mei’s relationship at the end: rooted in your family values/religion, but given the freedom to express yourself the way you see fit.
4. The “my panda, my choice” line.
Ok, this has become, like…a THING. 🙄🙄🙄
When I heard the line, I took it to mean she’s standing up for her right to be herself. To dress how she wants, and express herself the way she wants. To which I thought “You go, girl!” For the record, I still think that.
That’s what a normal 13 year old girl would mean. A 13 year old girl is NOT talking about abortion, which many are insinuating.
But the beauty of art is that you can interpret things any way you want. If that line bothers you, tell your kids she means you have the right to choose to get a vaccine or not. It works pretty well – Mei chose not to do the ritual, i.e. “vaccine,” which would have inoculated her from the panda’s effects.
Or tell them it’s a metaphor for female expression in society – we have the choice to be who we want to be now, and no longer have to suppress our inner panda due to societal pressures.
See? Art. It’s versatile.
5. And lastly….
My goodness, I know I was young, but I don’t remember this type of outcry against Finding Nemo. It has the same themes (overbearing parent, ACTUAL child rebellion), worse consequences (child kidnapping), and Nemo wasn’t as sweet as Mei. Really, it was just a gender swap. (Fun fact, if Finding Nemo had been real, that is exactly what would have happened. Only for Marlin, not Nemo.)
Wrap Up
All things considered, Turning Red is still a 3.5 on the scale. I still think Brave dealt with these themes better. Not to mention Encanto. Like it, or don’t like it. That’s personal preference. But let’s not make mountains out of mole hills. If we spent half as much energy changing the world with God’s love as we do tearing down kid’s movies, maybe the world would be a better place.
