Disney: Corrupting Our Princesses

From a young age, almost every child who's got access to mass media has been exposed to at least one Disney princess. Along with these princesses comes the ever famous, ever repeated plot line; a beautiful defenseless princess, a dangerous situation, a handsome prince who will save her, marriage, and then they live happily ever after. When you ask one of these little girls what they want to be when they grow up, it seems harmless for them to counter with the classic, "a princess." This seems fine and dandy to many parents but honestly, what are the Disney princesses doing to little girls?

Take a look at any Disney princess and one thing is certain, they are all unobtainably beautiful. Cinderella, with her big blue eyes and primped blonde hair (a common stereotype of the 'perfect' American woman.) Jasmine, sporting inhumanly long hair that is never messy, not to mention her ultra skanky outfits that in reality would never be worn by a woman of her ethnicity. Or Ariel, who has a very unrealistic hair color, wears only a shell bra, and has a perfect figure. All these princesses are the image of perfection to little girls. When little girls are brainwashed with images of skinny, perfect princesses, they begin at a very young age to compare how they look to these ideas of perfection.

Not only do princesses teach little girls they need to look perfect, but the actions of these princesses teach little girls unlikely goals and unrealistic morals. The obvious thing is the goal of getting married, that is the only goal in a princess' mind.

Alongside this, the prince must pursue them. They are never to go looking for their prince. This idea of helplessness teachs little girls they cannot be strong, individuals with career-oriented goals. Also some of the most minute teachings of the Disney princesses are the worst. Belle and Ariel are probably the worst princesses for little girls to aspire to be. First off, Belle definitely has undiagnosed Stockholm syndrome. Stockholm syndrome is a disease where you feel no matter what somebody does to you, they will change for the better. Belle believes she can be with a man who abuses her father and locks her away in a castle forever. She freely opens herself up to a stranger who has extreme anger and social issues. Take a look at Ariel and you find she is willing to give up her voice and her entire life to be with a man. Not to mention she is definitely an undiagnosed hoarder. So  by the time they are in school, they have been brainwashed of the ideas of feminity, codependency, and perfection. To be frank, Disney is making little girls into "feminidiots."

All these princesses are teaching little girls they have to live up to the ideals of what Disney feels is a 'perfect' princess. Many people may ask how to avoid these teachings? The truth is you cannot avoid it. Disney is everywhere. Even if you never show them one single Disney movie, by the end of preschool they will most likely know every princess my name. So the best people can do now is try to instill the idea that everyone is beautiful, you already are a princess, and never let anyone tell you otherwise.