This paper explores the portrayal of gender, power, and gendered roles in Disney's Mulan (1998 and 2020) by analyzing male-coded and female-coded characters' talk. Findings indicate a subtle shift in the distribution of "dominant" discourse between the two versions, despite female-coded characters being framed as dutiful wives, brides-to-be, and/or mothers in both. Mulan 2020 portrays male-coded characters as more "feminine" and female-coded characters as more "masculine," reflecting nuanced gender portrayals. The paper argues that while the portrayal of gender in Mulan 2020 remains primarily associated with heteronormative roles within a patriarchal structure, subtle changes reflect American and Chinese influences.

Pimpatchanok Manaworapong, Neil Evan Jon Anthony Bowen