As I was listing characters for this series, I almost didn’t include Minnie.  On the surface she is merely a female version of Mickey Mouse, created solely as a love interest/damsel in distress to further his plot lines.  It would seem on the surface that there is nothing to say about Minnie that I did not already say about Mickey.  But, one has only to walk through a Disney store (which I did on vacation) to realize that we DO love Minnie, not merely as an accessory to Mickey but as a character in her own right.

In a world that is known for its princesses, Minnie is the reigning queen.  She is the First Lady of Disney even though she and Mickey are not married.  That is impressive in itself.  She is shockingly modern for a character that was created in 1928.  She has been established as a business owner.  She owns her own home.  She has a wide variety of friends and interests.  She is also in a long-term relationship.  Interestingly, Minnie & Mickey are not married or engaged unless they are playing other characters.  She is feminine and strong, having moved on from her role as damsel in distress and into her own personality.

In this age of debate about what makes a feminist, I would submit that Minnie is an example.  While created to be defined by a male character, she has changed with the times.  She has a temper. She has her own tastes and preferences.  She has become a study for how the roles of women have changed.  She is NOT a female Mickey Mouse.  And THAT is why we love here.