As a mother of a little girl and an aunt to five little girls, I understand how important it is for girls to have good role models. For many modern day women, Disney can be considered as chauvinistic and misogynist. Disney princesses have taken much criticism over the years. And where Disney may give us unrealistic expectations of life (not to mention hair), through this blog, I intend to pursue each Disney princess, their personalities, place in their prospective societies, and how they influence young girls. Take into account that I was raised on Disney (not all the films) and though I am an avid fan, I will not only approve but also provide critiques of these fictional young women. Once finished with all the main princesses, I will move on to Disney heroines such as Meg from Hercules, Esmerelda from Hunchback of Notre Dame, Giselle from Enchanted etc. With the introduction of new films every year, I will also do my best to keep up with any new additions.

 

First, I am going to lay out the foundation of why I am setting upon this quest.

In Dr. James Dobson’s book Bringing Up Girls, he lists seven main reasons why Disney and their fairy tales appeal so much to little girls. Beauty, Song, Beautiful Clothes, Handsome Suitor, Rags to Riches, Happily Ever After, Dreams Coming True. No matter how many people think Disney has created and cashed in on this concept, it is quite old. Little girls may love the princess concept, but they are also drawn to stories like Esther and Ruth in the Bible. Girls fantasize about romance and the idea of the right man sweeping them off their feet.

A young mom in Bringing Up Girls puts it like this: Being a princess honors girls and “girliness.” It separates us from boys.

Another mother expounds upon this idea: Girls and women long to be treated like they are something special and worthwhile. Our culture often treats women like brainless sex objects who are put on this planet to satisfy men’s desires…When a girl sees herself as a princess, she feels valued for who she is…She is equal, worthwhile and special. Most important, she has the confidence to wait for Prince Charming to come and not settle for second best or a loser, no matter how long it takes.

My favorite quote on the princess movement is on page 120 of Bringing Up Girls by Dobson when he states “In a subtle way, Disney stories present a wholesome image of virginity until marriage and then lifelong love thereafter. They also promote femininity, kindness, courtesy, the work ethic, service to others, and “good vibes” about one’s personhood.” Compare Disney princesses to other little girl role models in culture such as Bratz, Monster High dolls, and many pop stars and teen actresses, and it’s easy to tell why Disney is considered a better role model for girls.

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My personal favorite aspect of Disney: Tradition. Girls are girls and boys are boys. In the end, there is a husband and a wife, a young man with a young woman in a monogamous, lifelong relationship.

However, one could also raise concerns with Disney.

Most of the time, life does not turn out happily ever after. Sometimes the prince doesn’t show up or if he does, he turns out to be a wart-coated frog instead. One could also raise the question: does Disney try to promote an overemphasis on beauty when countless girls struggle with self image? My quest is to take all these factors into account as I scrutinize each film and its prospective heroine. I will ask myself the question: What does it mean to be a princess? Or a heroine? What makes this young woman a good role model? Should I let my daughter watch this movie and take cues from this princess? 

I’ll be posting once a week, one princess per blog post. I welcome any commentary and will do my best to respond. 

A Wonderful Disney Video from Jacob Fannin of Fannin 11

Chorus Lyrics

I'll admit that I've been brainwashed

But I wouldn't have it any other way

I started young on this diet of Disney

And it's filled my glass up way past halfway...