Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Princess Culture

Before reading “Cinderella Ate My Daughter,” by Peggy Orenstein, I was completely oblivious to the prominence of the “Princess Culture” that young girls and even infants are subjected to. Beginning as early as the womb, the tiny female-identified babies have pink bows and princess tiaras thrust upon them before they are even able to take their first breath! Although male-identified babies receive the “opposite”-blue, trucks, sports, etcetera- their enforced gender norms don’t quite reach the extremities that the little princesses have to endure. Young women are exposed to many more struggles growing up in a pro-Barbie, extremely sexualized, and anti-gender-neutral society. Due to these circumstances and high expectations of women, it’s nearly impossible to raise a daughter who isn’t affected or persuaded by these outside forces. In Chapter 7, “From Wholesome to Whoresome: The Other Disney Princesses,” Orenstein brings light to the “other” Disney Princesses who aren’t Snow White or Ariel, but still influence young girls and their body image. These other “princesses” include the youthful stars of the Disney channel, for example, Hillary Duff, Raven Simone, and perhaps the worst of them all-

“Ads sell more than products of course. They sell values, images, concepts of love and sexuality, of romance and success – and perhaps most importantly, of normalcy.” (Kilbourne). Advertisements in the media portray women certain ways: extremely thin, photo shopped, infant-like, flawless, and hyper-sexualized. The main point that Kilbourne exemplifies is that these advertisements make it seem like women are normally like this. Young girls see these advertisements as they grow, and believe that this is how they are supposed to look like, and if they don’t they’re ugly and will not be accepted into