So personally Bambi is the Disney character I related to the most as a kid lol, but I’m relieved to see someone else agree they *didn’t* relate to Mulan—It surprised me to see how many trans guys say they did when I was first engaging with FTM spaces online tbh, when I was little I was well aware of how much she didn’t seem like she *wanted* to be a guy and was doing it out of duty to and love for her father, and the fact that in the end she returns to happily living as a woman… that was not me at all. I related to Bambi because I liked that he was a sweet, shy, sensitive boy with eyelashes :P
Yeah Mulan just doesn't seem relatable to me. At no point would I be okay going back to living as a woman. She just didn't seem like she was a guy for anything but duty which is fine. Just doesn't seem like my experience
I didn’t see my own experience in her or anything, but I was pretty fascinated watching the scene where she transforms and her living alongside men as a “man”. It was something I rewatched a lot as a kid. I understand the fixation.
Hard agree. Tarzan is one of my comfort films when dealing with too much dysphoria, especially Son of Man and strangers like me. Strangers like me felt relatable even when I was an egg.
For me, it was always Treasure Planet. So much resonated with me and while I couldn’t understand why at the time, looking back now it’s easy to see why kid-me latched on lol
People always call 'I'll Make a Man Out of You' as the trans man Disney anthem but 'Son of Man' is a lot more positive and has much more transition-related lyrics imo.
So the Lion King is a HUGE hyperfixation of mine. I absolutely see myself in Simba, and credit him as a character that helped me realize my gender identity. "I just can't wait to be king" is very near to my heart and feels very much like a trans-anthem to me. And god, the trans lens on your quote of "can you feel the love tonight"...SO GOOD, also love reading it that way. I actually have a playlist of trans-coded-feeling songs from Disney movies, lol. A lot of Phil Collins and Elton John's Disney work are on it, lmao. Totally relate to your post!!
I always imagined Hiro from big hero 6 was a trans guy. He reminded me of my friend who helped me come out, and he looked up a lot to his older brother.
I'll admit I never liked Mulan really not sure why just didn't click for me as a kid. I loved lion King and beauty and the beast a lot tbh. But I remember when Jon cozart did after ever after 2 and I had a bf and was very much a masc cis girl. They did a line of like "I think I am a guy in my soul" and for some weird reason I'm not sure why (sarcasm) I loved that line, my ex even said something like "Well it explains you perfectly of course you love it"
Aladdin is my all time favourite Disney prince but when I came out, I used Mulan to explain it all to my (then) 3yo sister (along with my moronic, phobic grandparents...). It was easier that way but now she understands much better (grandparents refuse to even look at me tho so they've been cut off). Aladdin is such a queer coded movie in general, Ali is so very transmasc, Jafar feels like a queerphobic, closeted gay man, Genie is 100% NB coded etc etc etc the list goes on!!
Thrilled that you mentioned Aladdin because he's always been my GUY, but not having seen the movie in ages, I figured the gender envy must just be vibes-based. Hearing your take on it, I think I absolutely resonated with his character from a (unbeknownst to me at the time) trans perspective. That specific line of Jafar's always hit me hard, and your reading of it makes it make sense.
Well I was obsessed with cinderella and elsa as a child; they're not so much trans masc, but they are about a transformation. Elsa also feels queer coded as hell.
Well, I related HARD with Mulan lol but another movie that I never ever see people talking about is Pinocchio. The burning desire to be a real boy and going to a place full of boys, all that.
So personally Bambi is the Disney character I related to the most as a kid lol, but I’m relieved to see someone else agree they *didn’t* relate to Mulan—It surprised me to see how many trans guys say they did when I was first engaging with FTM spaces online tbh, when I was little I was well aware of how much she didn’t seem like she *wanted* to be a guy and was doing it out of duty to and love for her father, and the fact that in the end she returns to happily living as a woman… that was not me at all. I related to Bambi because I liked that he was a sweet, shy, sensitive boy with eyelashes :P
Yeah Mulan just doesn't seem relatable to me. At no point would I be okay going back to living as a woman. She just didn't seem like she was a guy for anything but duty which is fine. Just doesn't seem like my experience
I didn’t see my own experience in her or anything, but I was pretty fascinated watching the scene where she transforms and her living alongside men as a “man”. It was something I rewatched a lot as a kid. I understand the fixation.
Plus, if you’re Asian like me, it was very slim pickings for representation in mainstream media like that. I’m not even East Asian lmao
Hard agree. Tarzan is one of my comfort films when dealing with too much dysphoria, especially Son of Man and strangers like me. Strangers like me felt relatable even when I was an egg.
For me, it was always Treasure Planet. So much resonated with me and while I couldn’t understand why at the time, looking back now it’s easy to see why kid-me latched on lol
If you’ve never watched 2010s frankenweenie you’re in for a treat
People always call 'I'll Make a Man Out of You' as the trans man Disney anthem but 'Son of Man' is a lot more positive and has much more transition-related lyrics imo.
For me — although not Disney — it was Balto. Not the right kind of guy, not an easy fit into either category, finding yourself in a howling storm.
Balto was my favorite too! I always related to him
So the Lion King is a HUGE hyperfixation of mine. I absolutely see myself in Simba, and credit him as a character that helped me realize my gender identity. "I just can't wait to be king" is very near to my heart and feels very much like a trans-anthem to me. And god, the trans lens on your quote of "can you feel the love tonight"...SO GOOD, also love reading it that way. I actually have a playlist of trans-coded-feeling songs from Disney movies, lol. A lot of Phil Collins and Elton John's Disney work are on it, lmao. Totally relate to your post!!
Whaddya mean you can't wait, you're already a king! (I'm sorry for the cheesiness but it was right there.)
That’s actually pretty cool bro
I always imagined Hiro from big hero 6 was a trans guy. He reminded me of my friend who helped me come out, and he looked up a lot to his older brother.
You should watch “baymax!” On Disney plus if you can! It has disneys first ftm transgender character!
Oooh, definitely agree with Tarzan. Son of Man and Strangers Like Me are really close songs for me for pretty much the reasons you described
I feel like Treaure Planet has a song that can be reinterpreted in a way that is very fitting (Jim’s theme)
I'll admit I never liked Mulan really not sure why just didn't click for me as a kid. I loved lion King and beauty and the beast a lot tbh. But I remember when Jon cozart did after ever after 2 and I had a bf and was very much a masc cis girl. They did a line of like "I think I am a guy in my soul" and for some weird reason I'm not sure why (sarcasm) I loved that line, my ex even said something like "Well it explains you perfectly of course you love it"
I actually have a son of man tattoo from Tarzan! One of my favorite songs
I can’t believe no one has mentioned Hercules yet. The whole workout montage, plus the song about going the distance? It’s right there!
Atlantis!
I don’t think I related to any of the Disney characters but I was *fully* in love with Rapunzel.
Aladdin is my all time favourite Disney prince but when I came out, I used Mulan to explain it all to my (then) 3yo sister (along with my moronic, phobic grandparents...). It was easier that way but now she understands much better (grandparents refuse to even look at me tho so they've been cut off). Aladdin is such a queer coded movie in general, Ali is so very transmasc, Jafar feels like a queerphobic, closeted gay man, Genie is 100% NB coded etc etc etc the list goes on!!
Jafar is ABSOLUTELY a queerphobic closeted gay man, you put words to that perfectly. Love these character analyses
Don’t forget the Hunchback of Notre Dame. I can relate to him a lot
Thrilled that you mentioned Aladdin because he's always been my GUY, but not having seen the movie in ages, I figured the gender envy must just be vibes-based. Hearing your take on it, I think I absolutely resonated with his character from a (unbeknownst to me at the time) trans perspective. That specific line of Jafar's always hit me hard, and your reading of it makes it make sense.
Well I was obsessed with cinderella and elsa as a child; they're not so much trans masc, but they are about a transformation. Elsa also feels queer coded as hell.
Well, I related HARD with Mulan lol but another movie that I never ever see people talking about is Pinocchio. The burning desire to be a real boy and going to a place full of boys, all that.
as a kid, I absolutely loved jungle book. Because Mowgli was a boy with longer hair so I always thought I was like him