TECHNOLOGIES OF GENDER: HOW ENVIRONMENT AND GENDER ARE ARTICULATED IN ANIMATIONS?

INTRODUCTION: This research is part of the Programa Institucional de Bolsas de Iniciação Científica (PIBIC) of the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUCPR) and analyzes how animations, as a medium in which ideologies are (re)produced—also called Gender Technologies by Teresa de Lauretis—either challenge or reinforce Western cis-hetero norms of gender and sexuality, and how these are used to create discourses that support certain worldviews while disqualifying others. AIMS: The aim was to carry out a Queer film analysis on the theme of Environment and Gender in the animated works Princess Mononoke (1997), Moana (2016), and The Wild Robot (2024). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using Jack Halberstam’s queer film analysis and Suely Rolnik’s sentimental cartography, the research investigated narrative choices and character designs, centered first on Princess Mononoke’s San, Lady Eboshi, Shishigami, Moro, and Nago, then connected to other characters such as Moana, Te Fiti, Te Ka, and Roz. To support the theoretical foundation, a state-of-the-art review was conducted in databases such as CAPES Journals, Scielo, and the Biblioteca Digital Brasileira de Teses e Dissertações (BDTD). RESULTS: The analyzed animations reveal a frequent framing of the environment as a passive, maternal female figure subjected to masculine power, while simultaneously imposing rigid visual molds on most characters who attempt non-exploitative relations with it. The works present a wide range of characters and complex narrative choices that both challenge patterns and remain trapped in clichés that reinforce gender and sexuality norms. The time gap between the films’ releases also highlights both the ongoing relevance of the theme and the stagnation in its representation. Sentimental cartography, combined with other authors, enabled a unique perspective informed by the author’s crossings of themes and personal framework. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: Therefore, it would be appropriate to continue research in this niche between queer animation and the environment in order to better understand the complexities of this theme. Recognizing this study’s limitations, I stress the importance of exploring in greater depth topics such as the relationship between these norms and Indigenous peoples, who play leading roles in both Princess Mononoke (1997) and Moana (2016), and how these intersect with the results found. Similarly, the recurring theme of apocalypses not only seems to relate to these issues but is also becoming increasingly prevalent in the pop culture moment we are living.

KEYWORDS: Animation; Environment; Gender Technologies; Character Design; Queer.