Doc McStuffins and Dora the Explorer: representations of gender,race, and class in US animation

Children are exposed to animated cartoons at an early age, and the gender, class, and race-related messages are likely to be influential in the development of children’s beliefs and attitudes about gender roles, class, and racial groups. Although representations of females and minority children in animated cartoons have improved over the years, stereotypical and racially biased portrayals of females and racial minority groups remain. Using an intersectionality theoretical lens, a textual analysis was conducted to examine the representation of the two current leading, minority female characters in children’s animated cartoons: Doc McStuffins and Dora the Explorer. Character portrayals, stereotypes, challenges to traditional stereotypes, and the intersecting role of race, gender, and class on the representations of the characters are explored in this analysis.