Why is Turning Red not appropriate?

Turning Red is causing quite the stir as some deem the latest Pixar flick ‘inappropriate‘ for children.

Turning Red is the latest release from animation titans Pixar, hitting the Disney+ platform on March 11th, 2022.

The film follows Meilin “Mei” Lee, a 13-year-old Canadian-Chinese girl going through puberty. Directed by Domee Shi (known for her work on Pixar’s Oscar-winning short Bao), the movie largely takes from her own experiences going through adolescence. But what is it about the film that have had some viewers up in arms?

***SPOILER ALERT*** If you haven’t yet seen Turning Red, details of the film will be explored below.

Turning Red | Official Trailer

BridTV

6690

Turning Red | Official Trailer

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XdKzUbAiswE/hqdefault.jpg

902159

902159

center

13872

What is it about Turning Red that has viewers talking?

If you tuned into Turning Red thinking it is solely a movie about red pandas, then you might be in for a surprise. While that’s partially true, the red panda transformation serves as a metaphor for puberty.

Turning Red explores periods, puberty, and the emotional and physical changes that accompany one’s coming of age journey. Satellite issues such as Mei’s first crushes, friendship, and parental relationships during puberty are also raised.

Given this subject matter, some have deemed it as inappropriate for children. One Twitter user commented: “This movie was great and fun but Pixar made this film a little too inappropriate for kids but I get it, it’s about a 13 year old girl hitting puberty.”

• READ MORE: Who are the 4 Town members in Turning Red? Meet Pixar film’s cast

This content could not be loaded

I haven’t even watched #TurningRed  yet but dear god people, periods aren’t sexual. Stop calling them inappropriate, they’re a normal bodily function.

— Bee 🐝🏳️‍⚧️ (@_AutisticArtist) March 13, 2022

Exploring those ‘inappropriate’ scenes

One of the most talked-about scenes of the film is when Mei (voiced by Rosalie Chang) first turns into a red panda. The result of a hereditary curse on Mei’s mother’s side, the women in the family transform into giant red pandas when they first get their period.

The dialogue heard in this particular scene is in no way controversial or shocking, although it may come as a surprise in a children’s film. We hear Mei’s mother (voiced by Sandra Oh) offering her daughter “ibuprofen, vitamin B, a hot water bottle, and pads.”

Another scene which has been questioned by viewers precedes Mei turning into the red panda. It sees Mei drawing images (which are reminiscent of fan fiction) of herself and the 17-year-old Daisy Mart cashier embracing.

Mei and her friends all have crushes on boy band 4*Town (who are Backstreet Boys-esque in style). In the same way that Mei’s fanfic-style drawings were deemed ‘inappropriate’, some viewers also consider the girls’ obsession with 4*Town in a similar light.

• OMG: Turning Red 2 is a possibility according to director Domee Shi

This content could not be loaded

The audience response to this movie has been atrocious cause almost none of it is actual legit criticism and just a bunch of "I couldn't relate" or "this is inappropriate for kids" comments. This is why adults need to give kids better education about this stuff. #TurningRed https://t.co/rWefdpWzv7

— Shaurya Chawla (@_ShauryaChawla) March 13, 2022

Turning Red is appropriately rated

The BBFC are responsible for creating the age-appropriate rating system for film in the UK. According to the CBBFC, which deals with content for younger audiences, a PG film is suitable for viewers aged eight and over. They do, however, issue that “some scenes may be unsuitable for young children.”

While there are elements of Turning Red that might have you questioning whether it should be a PG-13 rather than a PG, it actually follows the CBBFC’s guidelines.

Within the first two minutes of the film, we hear Mei use a curse word after failing to do a cartwheel. A PG rating permits “mild bad language only,” meaning that Turning Red is in accordance with the guidelines. In regards to sex, the CBBFC state that “sexual activity may be implied, but should be discreet and infrequent” in PG films. The use of mild sexual references and innuendo are permitted. So, even if you’re not comfortable with some of the scenes in Turning Red – for whatever the reason – the film is entirely appropriate.

This content could not be loaded

Looking into the comments of the #TurningRed tweet I am so disappointed why shouldn’t you teach boys about periods? It doesn’t make the movie inappropriate to talk about the body it’s a coming of age movie! I love it! It’s ok to be emotional and stuff embrace the panda! pic.twitter.com/2pAIxO2KJG

Why is Turning Red a controversy?

The controversy was started by numerous parents complaining that this was “inappropriate” to be in a kids' movie and should not be shown or normalized in kids' movies.

Does Turning Red have inappropriate content?

Turning Red is rated PG, which means that some material might not be suitable for younger kids. For example, it may contain suggestive dialogue, mild violence, very little sexual content and/or some inappropriate language. As a result, parental guidance is suggested.

Why is Turning Red not good?

Several audience reviews have also found fault with the film for daring to mention periods and puberty, which metaphorically manifests via the protagonist's transformation into a giant red panda. Prudish parents, however, have expressed discomfort with the film acknowledging the bodily functions of young women.

Why is the movie Turning Red inappropriate?

Turning Red explores periods, puberty, and the emotional and physical changes that accompany one's coming of age journey. Satellite issues such as Mei's first crushes, friendship, and parental relationships during puberty are also raised. Given this subject matter, some have deemed it as inappropriate for children.