It cannot be denied that Disney knows exactly how to make us fall for a Princess. Girls want to look like them and guys want to be near them. But what is it about the Disney Princess that makes them so desirable, so magical? For me, its her inner light. In a world that can sometimes feel too tough to handle, the princess never fails to shine. Isn’t that something rather special? It always baffles me when people label Disney as anti-feminist. I know that when someone only sees a damsel in distress, they have a limited understanding of the character and no statement could be further from the truth!
I’ll start at the beginning, 1937 and Snow White. This classic princess can fend for herself in a haunted forest and find the positives when everything seems so grim. Her attitude to life and willingness to take on even the most frightening challenge speaks to her liberated character and really shows that she doesn’t rely on others for her happiness. She is not afraid to be herself in an unusual situation. Snow White is the definition of a girl on a mission! She used her own skills and courage to find happiness and a group of supportive friends! That is not an easy feat! If I could be a little bit more like Snow, then I would be more organized and use my time wisely! Lets not forget, she defeated an evil queen and cared for seven difficult men all while maintaining grace, kindness and beauty nonetheless.
Disney’s first full-length animated feature produced one heck of a woman!
Snow White, Walt’s First Princess
Disney also teaches us that there are many different ways to be powerful and self-assertive. It doesn’t necessarily take an evil queen to bring out the feminist might. Take a look at Meg from Hercules, she is the poster girl for the every day Ms. Independent! When we are first introduced to this witty fire cracker she remarks ‘I’m a damsel, I’m in distress, Have a good day’. Unlike Snow White, Meg refuses to sugarcoat her wants and you wouldn’t find her being a domestic goddess! Two totally different approaches to hardship, but each are powerful princesses in their own right. There is no cookiecutter for the Disney princess, they are all crafted with the greatest attention to detail! A lot of people tend to forget that! I think its brilliant that Hercules befriends such a unique and rather abrupt character. He is actually all the better for it! Meg teaches Hercules how to trust himself and shows that you don’t have to fit into a box in order to change the world. In fact, she teaches Herc that he will be more successful if he lets his own style soar! She is definitely feisty and not afraid to voice her opinions, something that every girl should learn! The power of the princess is in her ability to empower girls to like their quirks, to show them how great it can be to just be yourself! When you really look at her, each princess offers new lessons; it’s our job to be open to accepting them!
Way back in the 1950s Walt himself expressed his love for the power of the princess. He once said that what he loved most about Cinderella was that ‘she didn’t wait for her Prince, she went to the ball and got him’. To me, he wasn’t saying that every Princess depends on a Prince, he was actually saying that she actively followed her dream. For a man who was all about making dreams come true, we can see that Walt was a big fan of each princess. He was able to create characters that not only brought joy to the world, but that also reflected his passion for life. Like Walt, the princesses start out with a simple dream and work hard to achieve them! Telling stories of princesses was an important part of his own happily ever after. You only have to look at the women in Walt’s life to see his inspiration! His mother, his wife and even his daughter all played a role in creating such positive female role models.
Jumping forward a few decades, the princesses of the 1990s brought a new element of intelligence and creativity to the power of the princess. Belle, Jasmine and Ariel espouse intellectual passion, a desire for independence and the need to strive for change in the world. These princesses are one of a kind, with their self-assured personalities giving them the courage to question the rules of authority. They are brave enough to entre new worlds and trusting enough to make a change in everyone they come across. If you ask me, everyone could do with a bit more Ariel and Belle in their lives! Yes, we all have challenges to overcome, but it is a ‘glass half full’ attitude, like the ones these Disney females have that will lead to the greatest transformation in the world. Perhaps it is a kind and self-confident heart that Disney encourages most clearly. The power of the princess is here to stay, and it’s about time! We need to look beyond the surface of animation and respect the sentiment of the story. Like Pocahontas says to John Smith, ‘ you listen, but you do not hear’. Lets change that!
Disney provides young girls with a wealth of gorgeous independent females to look up to. Without fail, each Princess is kind, intuitive, resourceful, self-motivated, and is able to overcome the hardest circumstances and is environmentally cautious!
Disney Princesses at the Disneyland Fantasy Faire
To me, Disney encourages today’s youth to grow up seeking a world of happiness and equality, all with self-respect and a humble heart. The Disney princess is a fabulous aspirational figure. It’s all about how you look at a situation, seeing the beauty even when it is not so clear. The power of the princess is in how she expresses her attitude, how she brightens the day with her beautiful spirit, how she teaches others to open their eyes. I know I try to mirror their mindsets and actions, and honestly, I couldn’t be happier! Every time I think about any Disney princess I can’t help but smile and I get that extra inspiration to make others smile too! If a princess can bring a smile, then she is undeniably powerful.
