Through the quantitative and qualitative content analysis of 5 Disney Channel television shows over the course of 20 years it is evident that the characterization of the female leads has changed over time. Three main themes emerged from the analysis: From Skirts to Sweats: Changes in style over time, Boys, Books & Babysitting and Reimagining Femininity. The two themes of changes in style over time and interests of boys, books, and babysitting, attribute to the final casting and characterization that lead to the final theme of reimagining femininity. In the results and discussion, I will break down each of the themes and how latent and manifest analysis attributed to the findings. Additionally, all of these themes can be exemplified throughout the 5 shows and their evolution over time in an interactive visualization found in the Visualization of Themes tab.
