When did liking the Disney Princess movies become detrimental to your feminist status? It's just a movie, at face value it may not have many valid lessons but let's look a little deeper than simple- Princess needs Prince. Here are a few Princesses and the messages that I think they share:
Belle (Beauty & The Beast) | Selfless, righteous and smart, this Princess is one of my favourites. One of the only characters (in early Disney movies) challenging gender roles, Belle is a bookworm and weirdo who doesn't care for regular norms. This princess selflessly trades her freedom for her fathers, staying in a creepy castle with a Beast (which she doesn't know is actually a Prince) not knowing what fate will bring. She single-handedly saves the Beast and though he has a temper, horrible etiquette and looks like a weird buffalo, wolf- she's able to get through to him with kindness and patience.
Cinderella (Cinderella) | Kind and forgiving, this Princess is the epitome of the saying " turn the other cheek". Having lost her family, being treated like a slave and only having mice as friends- if that's not a recipe for losing your mind, what is? By being brave, staying hopeful and only seeing the good in those around her- she finds her happy ending, not the Prince but her courage to finally remove herself from an unhealthy situation and forgive those who did her wrong.
Snow White (Snow White) | As one of the first Disney Princesses, this character does not have much depth but if one thing can be said about this loveable character is that she's trusting. Keeping her innocence alive, she trustingly takes refuge with seven little men and accepts food from a creepy ass lady, like really? Maybe this is not the best message, but if some good could come from this movie is that you cannot focus on the bad in people; you have to have a little faith that people are innately kind and giving.
Ariel (The Little Mermaid) | Troublesome and curious, this Princess is known for making less than ideal life choices but nonetheless is part of one of my favourite movies. Ariel is a character that's going through growth, she thinks she knows what's best and the only thing on her mind is exploring the world. Yeah, she may have Prince in the brain but don't all teen girls? This princess is a symbol of growing up, making mistakes and figuring it out along the way.
Thought? Agree or disagree.
xoxo,
Natalie
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