How every queer generation found strength and inspiration in The Little Mermaid
When SM City North EDSA was still in its brutalist majesty, I would spend weekends there with my grandmother strolling around, hands attached, almost always looking for new Dino Riders or Lego toys to gawk at. One fine day when we passed by the cinemas, a poster of a Disney mermaid invited us in. Little did that seven-year old boy know how that moment would be integral to his imagination and self-discovery.
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I’ve watched The Little Mermaid many times over, once during its theatrical release and probably over a hundred times on VHS. I knew, and I still do know every word, how they say it, and how they move when they say it. I’d play out the entire movie in front of a mirror, and it would look flawless—at least in my head. The world changed after The Little Mermaid latched onto my being: swimming pools became the Atlantic Ocean, pillowcases became mermaid tails, forks became combs, and I grabbed every opportunity to belt out Ariel’s siren song.
A profound connection
Mythological creatures and fairy tales make our creative power sparkle, transporting us into dreamy worlds where limitless possibilities abound. While these stories have universal appeal, the queer community has a unique affinity for these. Moreso for LGBTQIA+ kids grappling with identity exploration, self-acceptance, and social acceptance.
@emerald__elixir The mood for the rest of my life. #vanessa #littlemermaid #vanessastrick #fyp #disney #disneyvillain #gay ♬ original sound – Emerald Elixir
I found embodying Ariel and Ursula enjoyable, but I would do it when no one was watching, or at least in the most subtle way when people were around. Looking back, I’m pretty sure what I thought wouldn’t suspect anyone of me being gay failed. But the point here is the constant fear of being found out.
@thegenderrebel ♬ The Little Mermaid (Marimba Remix) – Harry Goes Boom!
Timeless films like The Little Mermaid are well-loved because they fed our suppressed queerness and provided a refuge where we could freely embrace our true selves. Transformation is one of its central themes, and we can find parallels between Ariel’s desire to become human and the journey of many LGBTQIA+ individuals. She’s become a fantastical representation of queer kids with parents who don’t understand them, as well as an icon to people that had their voices taken away. We all crave and deserve love and acceptance, and we can attain them only according to our conditions and preferences.
The Little Mermaid’s queer DNA
Unless you live under a rock, you must know by now that Ursula was based on the late great drag queen, Divine. You must also be aware that the author, Hans Christian Andersen, of the original fairy tale from 1837, which served as the foundation for the Disney film, was a man who penned The Little Mermaid as a symbolic representation of his unreciprocated affection for another man who eventually married a woman.
The live-action remake is beautiful, but it’s not perfect. It can never compare to the magic the 1989 animated film gave us, and it shouldn’t. While this is not a movie review of the Rob Marshall movie, I will say this: Like all recent live-action remakes, Disney has once again erased the queerness of its villain. Remember how uninteresting Scar and Jafar were? Melissa McCarthy was great, but in my mind, it could be better, especially in the makeup department.
Now part of that world
Much like The Wizard Of Oz’s “Over the Rainbow” did to a generation, “Part of Your World” resonated with us so well because we could see it from a queer perspective, viewing it as a gay anthem that captures the sense of yearning to explore a different world where we can be ourselves. “When’s it my turn? Wouldn’t I love, love to explore that shore up above?” sings Ariel. Chained to our households and influenced by society’s archaic understanding and treatment of my community, I sang with her in my best falsetto.
@esailower Part of your world #thelittlemermaid #thelittlemermaidliveaction #ariel #partofyourworld ♬ sonido original – EsAi R
The song’s a source of solace and nostalgia that brings us back to purity, wonder, and innocence. Now that I’m 40 years old and feeling the power of Halle Bailey’s voice as it cradles me into an emotional orgasm, I can’t help but cry a stream of tears. Not because I’m unsatisfied with my life or feeling voiceless, but because it somehow shows me the journey that brought me to my present and realizing that I’m living in the world I imagined when I was seven.
