*****SPOILERS*****
‘Zootropolis,
where anyone can be anything’
This
tagline for Zootropolis is referenced often in this film.
Real
societies often put limitations on what someone’s allowed to do (both privately
and publicly). Women, lower classes, different ethnicities or age groups…
certain expectations ‘shouldn’t’ be ignored based on the individual’s biology.
Stereotypes develop. Modern democracies largely denounce this attitude (even if,
in practice, discrimination still exists).
The
Zootropolis tagline also denounces this. A person’s biology, whether predator
or prey, no matter the species, shouldn’t get to determine that individual’s
life. Judy and Nick emulate this when they become police officers. Stereotypes
are always present in this film: whilst this controls the behaviour/speech of
people that have biases and stereotypes, they don’t control the
behaviour/speech of those being stereotyped.
Someone
shouts, “Go back to the Forest, predator!” The tiger replies, “I’m from the Savannah.”
At first this was a problem because tigers actually do live in forests, not
savannahs. Yet there’s no reason why this tiger couldn’t go live in the Savannah.
After all, the tag line of Zootropolis is ‘anyone can be anything’, i.e.
individual takes control of their own destiny. So, they can choose where they
live, not live in the place their species traditionally live. This was a very
clever way to portray how the tagline manifests in practice.
Judy,
unsurprisingly for someone who buys into the tagline, is forward-thinking when
it comes to species discrimination.
Judy
says, “We all have limitations. We all make mistakes. That means we have a lot
in common.” Dislike often comes from differences. But spend any time with
anyone different and instantly you see they’re just like everyone else.
Judy
says, “the more we try to understand each other, the more exceptional we
become.” If we learn about others, understand about others, we get a richer,
more complete picture of the world and the people in it. It means we can treat
them in the way that suits them. We do this on a personal level, such as
getting to know a friend. So we can do it on a public level, like reading up on
the beliefs and traditions of other cultures/religions. This can be done out of
kindness, necessity or politeness: whatever the reason, it does make someone
better.
Anyone
can be anything. So you should get to know someone for who they are
instead of judging them for what they are.
There
are some instances where Judy’s acceptance credentials are challenged.
When
Nick is in the ice-cream shop, because he didn’t leave as soon as he was
refused service, Judy unclipped her fox repellent. She does the same when Nick
jump-scares her after the press conference. The fact she carried it in the
first place also doesn’t look great.
However,
she was always willing to work with Nick, neither treating nor talking to him
badly. If Judy genuinely didn’t like foxes, this would have manifested more
than twice (although the latter incident might not count because it could’ve
been a life-or-death situation). That means she didn’t dislike being with a
fox.
These
anti-fox behaviours are most likely a trauma response, from when the fox Gideon
attacked her as a child. The fact Judy worked perfectly fine with Nick shows
she thinks she’s over it, so she wouldn’t have realised she still had things to
work through. So whilst this doesn’t excuse her behaviour, it does explain it.
Plus,
when her parents say foxes are bad, Judy says, “Gideon Grey was a jerk who
happened to be a fox.” This is clearly how she feels, meaning any negative
fox-related behaviour (i.e. releasing the fox repellent) is a trauma response,
not a stain on her morality in the form of discrimination.
(Yes,
Judy thinks the sloths will take a long time. Nick jokingly chastised her.
However, Judy’s job is on the line if she doesn’t complete the case by the
deadline. Sloths are factually slow, meaning Judy panic at relying on sloths is
a simple acknowledgment of reality.)
Discrimination
towards Prey
Predator-on-prey
discrimination is the narrative the film portrays.
All
throughout the film, people keep on referring to predators’ savage past and
instincts. The two outright examples come from Judy’s childhood play and her
press conference, citing predator biology being dangerous.
Gideon
(fox) physically and verbally bullies prey species (sheep/rabbit). The mayor
(lion) treats Bellwether (sheep) badly: pushing her around, undervaluing her
with a bad office and mug, plus using harsh tones and nickname.
Bellwether
often talks about ‘looking after the little guys’. Also, she wants prey species
to control their own destiny. Bellwether reveals she’s assistant mayor for the
sheep vote, not because the mayor values her opinions and contributions. These
suggest that predators dominate society and decisions. In other words, prey don’t
get to have a voice or control over their lives.
Also,
we the audience know that real-life predators hunt prey. Predators cause damage
and prey are victims to this. So we are already primed to feel for the prey and
are inclined to support them.
But
prey discriminate towards other prey, too.
Judy’s
given the ‘metre maid’ job by Chief Bogo because he’s not keen on rabbits being
on the force. Judy declares she’s not a ‘token bunny’. Clearly she’s here
because she’s good, not because of diversity (considering she was top of her
class). So even if Bogo didn’t outright declare his bias, his bias would be
clearer than glass.
When
Chief Bogo suggests that “any predator looks savage to a bunny,” it’s not based
on Judy’s perception of predators but it’s based on Chief Bogo’s perception of
rabbits (of being small and scared). He stereotypes Judy based on what she is,
not on what she does.
Internalised
racism or ‘the big guys’ (bull) vs ‘the little guys’ (rabbit)? Whatever the
case, discrimination is between anyone and everyone, just like real life.
Discrimination
towards Predators
Whilst
we’ve been conditioned to think prey are on the receiving end, there’s actually
many examples of prey-on-predator discrimination. (Discrimination one way often
results in discrimination the other way, as seen with any real-life ethnic
tensions/conflicts). So much so that prey-on-predator discrimination is
actually more prevalent that the other way.
There
are subtle hints of prey having negative attitudes towards predators.
We
see muzzles and fox repellent. Something to contain predators and something to
hurt/banish predators. Items designed to harm and shame sentient individuals.
Items that only exist because people believe predators are dangerous and bad.
For there to be a legal market for these items is shocking, especially in a
city that promotes people being more than their biology.
Yes, the continual reference
to predators’ primitive ways shows why prey fear them, yet it’s definitely an
example of prey-on-predator discrimination. The predators already have to carry
the weight of their past on their shoulders even though it’s been generations
since they’ve hunted. So to be constantly reminded of your people’s past
mistakes is a heavy burden, especially when you as an individual are treated
badly because of it. People should only be judged for what
they themselves do: they aren’t responsible for the actions of their ancestors.
Only
a few predators went savage and yet the entire city went on an anti-predator
frenzy, so much so that there were protests! Even loveable Clawhauser was moved
away from the front desk and hidden away just because he’s a predator. For the
prey to be so ready to turn on the predators shows they’ve always had negative
views.
The
above examples show prey attitudes towards predators. But more direct, some
instantly-recognisable, examples of discrimination are also present.
Judy’s
dad says that Zootropolis is full of predators, with foxes being the worst.
Then her mum says that it’s in their biology. What it boils down to is this:
they think all predators are bad and dangerous just because they’re predators.
The
ice-cream shop elephant refuses Nick service on sight, simply because Nick is a
fox. We see a flashback of prey scout members bullying Nick just because he is
a predator. Chief Bogo says that Nick isn’t trustworthy because he’s a fox: not
because of what he did (which he can control) but because of what he is (which
he can’t control).
A
tiger sits next to a rabbit kit on the train and the rabbit mum pulls her child
closer. Some are quick to point out that a parent’s job is to protect their
children. But the kit was still within the tiger’s arm reach after it had been
moved, so the movement made no safety difference. This showed the mother’s
actions were purely out of distrust and dislike of predators in general.
Besides, the tiger was acting very civilised, so why would it all of a sudden
turn savage?
Not
to mention Bellwether’s entire plot was to discredit predators as a group!
Mirrors
to Specific Discriminatory Behaviour
Two
instances perfectly reflect racist behaviour towards black people in real life.
Nick
touches Bellwether’s curly head wool without permission. Just like how black
people have their curly hair touched without their permission.
Clawhauser,
a tiger, sits at the welcome desk of the police station. He calls Judy cute, to
which Judy replies, “Bunnies can say that to each other, but other animals
can’t.” Just like a certain N-word.
Another
comparison to real-life discrimination is the ‘you’re not like them’.
Obviously,
Nick was offended by the predator-bashing press conference. Judy tells him,
“You’re not like them. You’re not that kind of predator.” Judy said this
intending to reassure Nick. But all it does is reaffirm to Nick that Judy’s
statement reflects her belief.
Exchange
‘predator’ with any group and add the relevant stereotype. This whole situation
is happening every day in real life. To feel discrimination in this way, to
have something about your identity belittled then to have you separated from
your identity, is beyond uncomfortable.
Misidentification
is another real-life discrimination portrayed in this film.
As
noted before, someone tells a Savannah-living tiger to, “Go back to the Forest!”
In real life, racists often yell at people to go back ‘to their own country’.
Often, they specify what country they mean, though most of the time they get
the country wrong (like mistaking Pakistanis for Arabs). They even say it to
someone who’s never been to that specified country (like telling a
third-generation British Indian to go ‘back’ to India). Native Americans get
told by White Americans to “Go back to your own country!” (The irony).
The mistaken identity isn’t
just applied to countries but every identity. Sikhs often on receiving end of
Islamophobic behaviour, for example. People can treat a white-presenting Latinos
with love and friendship, but as soon as they speak Spanish, the discrimination
starts.
However it’s presented,
mistaken identity is a big problem. People hate one group so much that they’re
willing to hate everyone who ‘fits the bill’, everyone who’s perceived as
similar to that one group. A lack of similarity is why someone hates others,
yet similarity is the reason even more people receive hate. Discrimination
doesn’t follow reasonable lines of thought.
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