Beyond Pink or Blue: Portrayals of Adolescence in Latin American Animated Film

This chapter discusses the portrayals of female and male adolescents in animated feature films produced in Latin America in the last decade. It explores how animation allows for the creation of seductive stories that put to the test or strengthen prevailing assumptions of girlhood and boyhood across the region. Special focus is placed on the intersection between ethnicity (i.e. indigenous and mestizo elements) and social class. Since consuming animation is gaining ground as a cultural practice, it becomes impossible to ignore its social and pedagogical value. Ultimately, this chapter is an inquiry into the ways in which animators choose to portray Latin American adolescence, and how younger and older audiences relate to these representations.