I'm tired of the stigma that Disney princesses are weak role models. I've seen countless articles and started (and destroyed) several debates among classmates. How does being a princess ruin feminism? Why is it a bad thing to wear dresses? Why do we need to "save" our daughters from the happy world of sparkles and animal sidekicks? Why can't she be a princess AND stand up for herself? I grew up with Disney culture being poured down my throat and seeping into my skin and I've always been one of the most independent people I know. I don't like being repressed, I'm outspoken, I'm hardworking, and I consider myself a feminist. Disney has made me a better person and I'll defend that until I die. But as a big sister/feminist/decent human being, I should be concerned with who my little sisters and future (way, way in the future) daughters look up to. I should be considering how the movies and books our kids watch and read make them think.
A lot of people seem to think Disney has given us weak female leads and I'd like to challenge that. I started writing all this out about a week ago and only five princesses in, I found myself at more than 1300 words and literally nobody has time for that. I decided to break up my analysis into a few different parts, in chronological order.
I'm gonna take this princess-by-princess and show you that your 3 year old is gonna be just fine. And I promise, no matter what anyone says or thinks or implies, you can teach your daughter to kick-butt in heels and a dress.
There's a lot you can learn from the traditional, original princesses that debuted a long time ago. These came out a long time ago; the feminist movement has grown exponentially since and the importance of media was not stressed as greatly as it is today. Yes, the older ones reflect conservative gender roles but that doesn't make them weak characters you need to protect your kids from. If Snow White or Cinderella were released in 2017, people would flip out.
Snow White (1937)
Snow White is definitely the embodiment of a traditional woman. She cooks, cleans, and cares for the 7 dwarfs while they go out and work. We are looking for characters that challenge the idea of a traditional woman and Snow White certainly doesn't. However, she is still a "moral" role model. She is kind to everyone, pure at heart, and remains positive in spite of her bleak situations. While she did need a man to save her, she was undeniably brave when she fled into the forest by herself after the huntsman tried to kill her. She got scared, but she kept going. This story, while not as fulfilling as some of the modern princess movies, has a great soundtrack and still has me talking to animals at 18 years old. It has a lot to say about friendship too- Snow and the dwarfs have a fun, loving relationship. It supports traditional gender roles but the men in the movie love and cherish her the way that all people should be loved and cherished. And it says a lot about inner beauty- the witch may be pretty, but Snow White's inner beauty prevails in the end.
Cinderella (1950)
Okay let's get one thing straight- Cinderella had a pretty sucky life before she met Prince Charming. She was forced to do endless housework and had to submit to her family's verbal, emotional, and physical abuse. Personally, I would've run away, so my friend Cindy here deserves some credit for that resilience of hers. She still respected her elders even when they treated her like dirt. While some criticize her for being naive, it takes a lot of strength to keep going when everyone in your life represses you. She never stood up for herself or spoke up, but maybe she was too broken to take that chance. Part of her charm is her kind heart and her willingness to forgive those who hurt her.
Yes, she needed a fairy godmother to help her get to the ball, but she certainly had no means of getting there herself. It is implied that all she needed were looks to impress the prince: the fairy godmother dressed her up and sent her off. But she couldn't have gone in tattered clothes, smelling all gross and dirty. Additionally, Cinderella and the Prince danced all night long, he sent away other prospects to spend time with her. He obviously found her personality attractive.
Cinderella didn't give everything away for "true" love. She had a dream- to get the heck away from her awful life- and believed in a better tomorrow (i.e; the scene in the beginning of the movie where she starts her day off by reminding herself to be positive- "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes"). I don't see anything wrong with her jumping at the first opportunity to escape her evil step-family, and the fact she ended up with a hunk like Charming is pretty lucky. She took a leap of faith by going to marry him; he could've turned out to snore in his sleep or something. I'd also like to point out that Cinderella's step sisters wanted to go to the ball to get the Prince to notice them and Cinderella wanted to go to enjoy herself. She hadn't been treated as an equal in years so she just wanted to do something "normal."Lastly, wearing that big fluffy dress wasn't stating "Women belong in dresses!" it was just a testament to the time period the movie takes place in.
Aurora (Sleeping Beauty, 1959)
First of all, Aurora is only in the movie for 17 minutes so there's not a lot to go off of. I personally feel like the story is more about the three fairies: Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, and the villian Maleficent. All three of the fairies are hilarious, protective, and strong-willed. There's a scene where the three of them have no idea how to bake a cake. In contrast to Cinderella, when the women all tear each other down, these four women build each other up and live in a healthy environment. Aurora herself is helpful, obedient, and graceful. (Note: My sisters and I were rarely all three of these things and we watched this movie all the time.) Aurora is the epitome of "ladylike" but our little girls need to be taught how to act proper and respect themselves. She is also talented-she sings and dances beautifully. She's also rather carefree and she is noticeably adored by all who know her. This is a message that you deserve to be cherished. When I call your daughter "princess" I don't mean she's weak. I mean she's beautiful- inside and outside. I mean she deserves to be loved and respected and protected- whether that's by another person or eventually, by herself.
"Princess" is a respected status, not a derogatory nickname.
Thanks for reading! I'd like to hear your thoughts so feel free to slide into my DMs. Stay tuned for Part Two sometime next week- Ariel, Belle, and Jasmine.
~Beth
If you want to read more about Disney Princesses and this topic:
"It is absolutely undeniable that media, even fictional, can shape our perceptions of reality, of ourselves, and of our futures. "
