We actually called this the other day when putting together that piece on the Cleveland radio station that had pulled seasonal rape culture anthem “Baby It’s Cold Outside” from rotation after a listener complaint — some people in the comments brought up Disney’s “Kiss the Girl” from “The Little Mermaid” as the next song to go under the chopping block. And …
Now Princeton’s male a cappella group is pulling “Kiss the Girl” from its set because it promotes toxic masculinity.
A male a cappella group at Princeton University has pulled a Disney movie song from its act following a student newspaper column that suggested the lyrics helped promote "toxic masculinity." https://t.co/GtnRTPcBiZ
— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 6, 2018
Here’s the column from the Daily Princetonian that prompted the group to drop the song:
OPINION | WOLLSTEIN
Columnist Noa Wollstein enjoins the Tigertones to stop performing the Disney hit "Kiss The Girl”. https://t.co/9k6zoSKDJu pic.twitter.com/dkHdAMpAaV
— Daily Princetonian (@princetonian) November 27, 2018
The song launches a heteronormative attack on women’s right to oppose the romantic and sexual liberties taken by men, further inundating the listener with themes of toxic masculinity. In trying to motivate Eric to kiss Ariel, the crab, Sebastian, makes use of lines such as, “Looks like the boy’s too shy,” “Don’t be scared,” and “It’s such a shame, too bad/You’re gonna miss the girl.”
Such expressions imply that not using aggressive physical action to secure Ariel’s sexual submission makes Eric weak — an irrefutable scaredy-cat. Applied outside of the realm of the movie, these statements suggest that masculinity is contingent on domination of women. This attitude can catalyze violent tendencies toward, and assault against, women.
So if the song inundates the listen with themes of toxic masculinity, which can catalyze assault against women, the Tigertones could be subconsciously programming audience members to assault women as they leave the performance.
To be honest, Wollstein’s real problem lies with the performance, in which the Tigertones bring up random audience members on stage and expect heteronormativity to take its course. “I have seen a queer student brought on stage have to uncomfortably push away her forced male companion,” she writes.
This headline is so misleading. As they would sing the song they’d try and find a girl in the audience and try and kiss her. That’s why it was pulled. ?
— Ash (@Letstwistthis) December 6, 2018
This has to be the first time in the history of mankind that a male a cappella group has been accused of doing anything masculine.
— Funcle P (@LetsChopCats) December 6, 2018
You win everything today.
— Chica'sBailBonds (@irinamoises) December 6, 2018
It's a capella…how toxically masculine could it possibly be?
KIDDING!
— Hilarious RodsfromGod Clinton (@NorthForkOeno) December 6, 2018
Now, in the spirit of equality, can someone pls work on defining toxic femininity and make it a thing too? ???
— KoSmikWaVe (@Morning_Star85) December 6, 2018
This is just another example of toxic femininity. Nothing more.
— Matt Wilson?? (@MattWilly28) December 6, 2018
The Left will never, ever, run out of things to be offended over
— Tim Da'Bull (@tinbullet) December 6, 2018
Song ain’t toxic, toxic is suggesting it is toxic. Then if their act has been criticized for pulling women onstage to be kissed, stop doing it or at least ask if someone wants to come onstage to be kissed by a stranger.
— Wilfredo Bello (@WilfredoBG) December 6, 2018
I'm glad I'm raising my boys not to be so sensitive like this… ridiculous!
— Alianna E. Martinez (@Ali_mommy) December 6, 2018
Wollstein wrote that kissing Ariel without verbal consent "comes across as even more jarring." Idk. She looks pretty consenting to me. pic.twitter.com/6Nl2INvKwo
— Taylor P (@Working4alivn) December 6, 2018
But she didn’t provide verbal consent … of course, she’d been cursed and couldn’t speak until she’d been kissed, so …
The student who complained is stupid and should be mocked. The a cappella group that gave in and pulled the song is stupid a should be mocked. Just say “NO!” To these damn bullies. Stop giving in.
— Chica'sBailBonds (@irinamoises) December 6, 2018
— Florence Nightingale (@FlorenceNRN) December 6, 2018
I hate this world
— Uninformed (@Kschmoo52) December 6, 2018
Related:
Problematic: The prince kissing Snow White without her consent examined in Parents Magazine https://t.co/dpBKgTB3zW
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) October 17, 2018
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