Disney Princesses

Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and many other Disney movies all have one thing in common, they feature a female lead who need a male figure to save them. However, things started to change after the release of Mulan 1988. It changed from only having those female leads who always needed to rely on someone, to females who were able to show off their more masculine side. In the article “Post-Princess Models of Gender: The New Man in Pixar/Disney,” Ken Gillam and Shannon R. Wooden explored the idea that Pixar movies were starting to show male characters who weren 't afraid to show their emotions and feminine attributes, to promote the “New Man” model. The picture depicted above is another example of characters in Mulan who have these characteristics. Gillam and Wooden effectively convey their argument through the use of compare and contrast, examples of homosociality, and their own personal experience/ ideas.

In the short essay, “The Princess Paradox,” James Poniewozik, whos is the chief TV critic for The New York Times, introduces the idea that parents have recently tried to stay away from giving their daughters princess related toys and clothes, contrasting a girly stereotype, and instead, give them a more wide variety of toys, including the ones associated with boy’s stereotypes such as legos, from which she can choose from and determine her own interests. Additionally, Poniewozik states that parents get frustrated when their “empowered, self-confident budding Marie Curie tells you [the parent] she wants to be… a princess [for halloween]” (Poniewozik). According to Poniewozik, past princess culture implies that being both a princess and self-determined

Yet, Orenstein claims that they have focused largely on the princess culture and also that these princesses have advanced from being simple storybook characters to now representing a negative influence on a female’s expectations in life. She suggests this idea in her article with the notion that other women, especially mothers, would agree with her opinion. Although, what she fails to acknowledge is that Disney isn't trying to sell messages of the “nice and pretty” girl or the perpetual “happily ever after” ending to young children. Instead, they are only marketing their products to a specific, easily influenced audience. Orenstein places blame on Disney, shaming them for taking advantage of the pre-existing princesses for their own profit. In becoming so focused on the negativity that she believes these princesses may impose, she doesn't realize the potential greatness that companies, like Disney, try to advocate. To some, princesses create dreams for girls and it gives them inspiration at a young age. It shows them to be brave, like Mulan or even strong-willed and persistent, like Cinderella. It gives developing guidelines for positive characteristics, this way, when they encounter difficult situations later on in life, they already have a premise for how to deal with it. In being so distracted with her strong feminist beliefs, she doesn't take the chance to see the beneficial possibilities of the princess

Many people believe Disney princesses can alter a child’s perspective about his or her self. The way princesses act and what they wear both affect children’s state of mind. The essay “Girls on Film: The Real Problem with the Disney Princess Brand” by Monika Bartyzel claims that the image of Disney princesses changes the way both children and society feel about women.

In our pre-adolescents we have watched television to entertain ourselves, but we didn't realize the secret messages of what the media was portraying. So throughout the years, our mind gets opened and we realize the comedy on the show are discriminating everyone. Media categorizes the people separately and not as a whole. As humans we should be united as a family and we shouldn't categorize anyone by the color of their skin, social class, whatsoever. The separation of whites, blacks, Hispanics and so to speak. “Disney Channel” has created a conflict in society that the equality of these races and every other race are being tarnished. Disney Channel has affected our surroundings because they never have different races in one film. The industry believes we are not created to be equa. Disney Channel makes funny remarks and believe we will be ignorant. Rankings have become lowered in society and has become from not accepting people.

The Little Mermaid which was produced in 1989, was the first Disney movie to challenge the traditional gender roles, for the fact that Ariel wanted to explore, and was more independent and assertive in her desires than the earlier princesses of the 1930’s and 50s films. Also the prince in The Little Mermaid went against traditional gender roles as well, simply because he was more affectionate and loving than his prince counterparts in other Disney films. “Both the male and female roles have changed over time, but overall the male characters evinced less change then the female characters and were more androgynous throughout.” (Descartes & England, pg.566). Disney movies have been for a long time a strong media target for children, and can serve as a way to address stereotypical gender roles (Leaper, 2000). These studies suggest that children observe gender stereotypes at an early age unintentionally. Since children’s brains are constantly soaking in new information about the world around them, they have to do so in a way that they are seemingly most comfortable. Studies show that children are most comfortable learning from people who are actively in their lives and attractive movie and TV

Ariel still faces scrutiny and severe judgement by the men in her life, which leaves Ariel herself, questioning and doubting her own identity. The viewers are left to assume that in order for females to achieve happiness, based on what society tells them should make them happy, such as love, they must give up their soul, like Ariel literally did to become authentically fullfilled. “It leads the girl whom we have to know as Ariel to give up everything that defines her-her kingdom and family, her fish tail, and, most important, her voice-in return for two ostensibly beautiful human legs that leave her in eternal agony,” (Dunes 59) She must also choose between one or the other, because women are not simply given their free will on a silver platter, but only at a cost, in which she must choose between her father or the man she loves. However, love in this context is reduced and equated to sex, as the terms of her arrangement with Ursula that he must fall in love with her, “that is-kiss you” (Trites). Ariel is the only reoccurring female character, as most of the animals and people featured in the human kingdom are male, sharing the same male dominated ideals. The Little Mermaid was even accused of portraying penile imagery on its videocassette cover, which Disney later defended as simply a “castle,” although its “phallic-shaped center spire” makes this unbelievable (Schweitzer and Schweitzer 143) Most of all The Little Mermaid exhibits many examples of female objectification and themes of misogyny, versus the hegemonic male characters, that force inflicting control of sexism over the women, while belittling their self-worth and social relevance. They are constantly victimized or portrayed as victims and imposed upon by

Walt Disney has been making girls think that in order to be beautiful you have to be the perfect shape and size. (Shortridge). Some people believe that the Disney Princesses are great role models for children because Mulan teaches us to never give up on the strengths we have just because we are girls, Belle teaches us to never judge a book by its cover, and Pocahontas shows us real princesses are strong leaders. On the other hand, some individuals feel that Disney Princesses are bad role models because of their unrealistic body appearance, telling girls every marriage ends with a happily ever after when you get married at a young age, and saying every girl needs a man in order to be happy. Both sides have valid points but in reality everyone

Disney Company is notoriously known for making revolutionary cartoon movies that always gets the kid’s attention and win their hearts. The vast majority of their movie are targeting kids, kids under the age of 15, who are unbeknownst to the hidden messages about the movie(s) they’re watching. For example, The Disney film Sleeping Beauty, the main character Aurora was cursed to be sleeping forever by an evil witch. And Prince Phillip is bound to kiss her for a “true love’s kiss” and wakes up. It is pretty evident at the ending that the prince kissed Aurora without consent and she had no idea that it was going to happen for she was asleep. In another perspective, the prince basically took advantage of Aurora. Another Disney film that is quite peculiar on its ending is Little Mermaid –

In her article, “What’s Wrong With Cinderella?” in the New York Times, Peggy Orenstein expresses her concern over the effect of princess figures like Cinderella on young girls ' perceptions of themselves and how they should behave (“What’s Wrong With Cinderella?”). However, the later Disney films have gradually attempted to break away from this stereotype resulting in stronger female characters like Ariel, Mulan, and Elsa among others.

This description of what the Disney Princess is like; give us a big concern in the influence this image is giving to the little girls. Unfortunately, what girls learn as children carries on into adulthood. They have problems in understanding what it really means to be beautiful since the stereotype of the Disney Princess, they also learn in finding a ‘Prince’ that has a lot of money, which truly means they are not finding true love or getting in love of someone for who they really are just only because of what they have to offer. Women must learn that Princesses are only for entertainment not an example of

The minds of children are like sponges, absorbing everything they hear, touch, and see. They are consciously taught ideas in school and participate in subconscious learning of moral behaviors and attitudes outside of the classroom. Disney is undeniably a large part of most children’s subconscious learning. Regardless of the movie, children are internalizing stereotypes of what princesses and princes do and what they look like. Before 2009, the stereotypical princess was a character being of lighter skin, dependent on men, and being of privileged descent. Finally in 2009, Disney introduced its first African American princess, trying to meet critics’ demands. Although Disney’s Princess and the Frog creates greater diversity among Disney Princess,

Throughout the 20th century and even today, Disney has been a major part of children’s youth. When children are young, they can be taught anything and they learn it very quickly. In our society, young children learn the religion when they are so young. When the child watches a Disney cartoon or movie they tend to imagine what would it be like to have the life shown in Disney. Disney creates an imaginative land in the minds of the children that the can do whatever, and be whatever they want, they are only limited by their imagination. Disney creates a mindset that anything is possible and that fairytales do come true.

The Disney princess movies had a great deal of influence on many young girls watching princesses represent what royalty looked like. The princesses are always beautiful, polite and seeking the love of their Prince Charming. This plays a strong role in perpetuating the idea that being a princess means seeking only love from a man, and a man who contains all the stereotypical masculine qualities; handsome, powerful and rich. For example, in The Little Mermaid, Ariel had to give up who she was in order to win over the affection of her prince charming. She traded in her voice in order to have real legs and near Prince Eric. This movie represents everything that society says a real life princess should be; beautiful and silent. Ariel is the princess that shows that the innocent and quiet women will always win. Women in movies and books are often described as dependent, weak, self-critical, and passive. While there is a great deal of influence over younger girls, boys are also influenced through the slight humor in male characters. Prince Eric is described as masculine and has qualities including being a man of power, strong and self-confident. While the other male characters such as Scuttle and Flounder were unintelligent and dependent. These ideas that men are superior to women are shown by female disney characters, and the portrayal of masculinity and femininity in movies and media to people from a young