Apart from Ursula being inspired by a drag queen, I think the the gay subtext is imagined by the author. Reading homoerotic implications into the sailors being

Apart from Ursula being inspired by a drag queen, I think the the gay subtext is imagined by the author. Reading homoerotic implications into the sailors being all male? Come on. Obviously "I long to be part of that world" can be interpreted in a number of ways. This is the strength of the genre. But as a metaphor for coming out as gay, it is a bit weird because this desire comes before she sees the prince and falls in love. The Little Mermaid was groundbreaking compared to previous Disney heroines because the story is driven by her desire. Cinderella and Snow White are innocent victims of unfortunate circumstances. Ariel lives a privileged life, but desires something else. While Ursula is ostensibly the villain, it is still Ariel which seek her out and willingly enters the deal in order to get what she desires. Of course agency is also the ability to make mistakes.