Equality: Beware fo the Disney Princesses

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In Walt Disney’s 1950 film, Cinderella explains, “A dream is a wish your heart makes.” During childhood, countless girls dream of becoming Disney princesses in response to their exposure to animated films like Cinderella. This fascination with the princess lifestyle is commonly viewed as a phase that young girls pass through and is encouraged by Walt Disney’s 4.4 billon dollar line of princess merchandise, which includes toys, clothes, and even pink house paint (Smith). Although the princess merchandise, featuring primarily the original princesses of Belle, Jasmine, Ariel, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty, is often perceived positively as being an essential part of a girl’s childhood, the commercialization of the Disney Princesses is in fact a detriment to the American society’s movement towards gender and racial equality.

Feminism in today’s society holds true that women are strong individuals who are capable of achieving their dreams. A significant problem with the Disney Princesses is that even surrounded by the notion that females have the same inherent dignity as men, they continue to be portrayed as passive women with limited aspirations. For example, in Snow White, the character of Snow White is glorified by her ability to sing beautifully and cook for the seven dwarves (Hynes). In Beauty and the Beast, Belle is ignored when she tries to make conversation about a book she is reading, which suggests that a well-read woman is not worthy of attention (Hynes). And, in The Little Mermaid, Ariel sings about all of the wonderful treasures that she possesses, which encourages the valuing of material goods (Hynes). These films give rise to the belief that a woman’s worth is dependent on her ability to maintain a household,...

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...tian Science Monitor: n/a. 2009. Web.

Neal, Kelle. ""Part of Your World": Disney's Portrayal of Ethnic Minorities." Tennessee State University, 2010. United States -- Tennessee: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses: The Humanities and Social Sciences Collection. Web. 29 Nov. 2011.

Smith, Ethan. "Corporate News: Disney Products Chief Quits --- Andy Mooney is Credited with Creating $4.4 Billion Princess Line of Toys, Clothes." Wall Street Journal: B.7. ProQuest. Sep 07 2011. Web. 29 Nov. 2011

Tucker, Neely. "A Fairy Tale Beginning: Snow White, She's Not. Among Disney's Royal Ladies, Tiana Is a Notable First." WashingtonPost.com, 19 Apr. 2009. Web. 29 Nov. 2011.

Wohlwend, Karen. "Damsels in Discourse: Girls Consuming and Producing Identity Texts through Disney Princess Play." Reading Research Quarterly 44.1 (2009): 57-83. ProQuest Research Library. Web. 29 Nov. 2011

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