In this episode of Autistica, hosts Dr. Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry, LPP explore how Disney’s 1991 classic Beauty and the Beast—with its enchanted castle, talking objects, and timeless story—offers a powerful allegory for the Autistic experience.
🎧 What You’ll Learn:
- How Belle, with her love of books, unique perspective, and outsider status, reflects autistic traits like deep curiosity, data hunger, and a longing for “more than this provincial life.”
- The Beast as a metaphor for misunderstood autistic identity—emotional intensity, longing for connection, and being judged by appearances rather than authentic self.
- A look back at the long history of the tale—from the 1740 French novel to the 1946 French film—that shaped Disney’s retelling.
- The genius of Linda Woolverton, the autistic-relatable writer who penned Beauty and the Beast and other iconic works (Mulan, Maleficent, Alice in Wonderland).
- The film’s musical elements, with lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken, and how songs like Belle and Something There highlight themes of outsider identity, acceptance, and transformation.
- Gaston as a symbol of neurotypical arrogance and mob mentality, reinforcing the dangers of conformity and ignorance.
- Themes of acceptance, empathy, and the transformative power of love—resonating deeply with the autistic community and reminding us that there’s beauty in difference.
Resources:
Related episodes:
Ponies are Autistic
Fairy Tales are Autistic
Disney is Autistic
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