Parents Are Loving The Strong Feminist Message Of 'Cars 3'

The big female empowerment story of the summer may be “Wonder Woman ,” but judging by the way parents and fans are reacting on social media, the latest entry in Pixar’s “Cars” series is delivering its own feminist message. 

“Cars 3,” which came out Friday and topped the box office, grossing an estimated 53.5 million  over the weekend, made an impression on many viewers with its new lead character, Cruz Ramirez, a badass female race car voiced by Cristela Alonzo. 

The leads in the “Cars” franchise have traditionally been male, and in fact, the character of Cruz was initially conceived of as male, the filmmakers told The Washington Post.

The film’s director, Brian Fee, also said that being a parent to two daughters inspired him to create a more inclusive film. 

“Now that I have two daughters, I see the world through their eyes,” the director told The Washington Post . “I see how little they have [culturally], and I see what they’re up against. I see how they hold themselves back.

While one might wish that it didn’t require personal experience with gender discrimination for men to want to take action against it, viewers seem to be responding to the results. 

Actress Lea Delaria, who voices the character of Miss Fritter in the film, seconds the conclusion that the film has a strong feminist message, telling HelloGiggles , “It’s fabulous that all these young girls are gonna see these strong female characters in this movie, winning.”

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