Disney Duster wrote:
There seem to be different princess problems:
The princesses are all skinny: Even though it's not healthy to be overweight, not everyone can be so thin, and some of the images of the princesses can look unhealthily underweight.
Defense: In the movies, not all the princesses are unhealthily skinny, and it would not be good to teach children that being overweight is a good thing, either.
I agree completely. Snow White, Cinderella, and Belle have healthy body shapes. Aurora's mid-section I cannot critic, because it's too much like my own natural frame.
The princesses all have men: It teaches girls they should only fall in love with men.
Defense: There is none. Every Disney movie promotes opposite sex relationships and children will not think same-sex romance can occur. So if they discover they feel like they want to kiss someone of the same sex, they will feel sad, abnormal, and hate themselves.
True for the most part, but I don't think this causes said children to "feel sad, abnormal, and hate themselves."
All the princesses are in relationships at young ages: Girls might think they need to be with someone at a very young age, and if they aren't in love by 16, there's something wrong with them.
Defense: Not every princess is that young. Cinderella is rumored to be 18, an adult by legal standards, Belle seems to be older, Snow White seems older, and being a teenager in love is not a bad thing.
Snow White looks 14! Cinderella and Belle certainly seem to be college-age, though.
There is still the problem of children feeling that if they aren't in love by then, they aren't doing something right or they aren't attractive enough to get someone.
I'll give my $0.02 on this one in a second.
The princesses are saved in different ways by men: Be it rescued from eternal slumber, a giant octopus, or just an unhappy life, it implies men will always rescue them, and they shouldn't bother to try rescuing themselves. It also implies they can't be happy without a man.
Defense: The princesses save some men and male animal friends themselves, though sometimes more indirectly. The man also isn't happy without the female, so it's a problem that affects boys as well as girls. The problem is that a message is sent that you won't be happy or there is something wrong with you if you don't find a partner. Whether or not that is a problem is debatable, because it is true that if we don't fall in love with someone, we usually aren't happy. Some people really don't want girlfriends or boyfriends, but they are few.
Hello, my name is Prue of the Few. In all seriousness, you're right. Not everyone looks for a romantic companion. I have had my share of boyfriends, but I have never desired to go out and look for one, nor do I feel I need one to have a fulfilling life.
In all honesty, one of my secrets is this: I know I'm worth something. I know I'm worth more than anyone realizes. That may sound self-centered, but if people
knew they were worth so much more than what the media and trends project, they would find many other ways besides relationships that would lead to success in this world.
Oh, but this may not just be a Disney problem.
It's a media problem in general.
So is that the main problem, that so many movies have people helping each other out, we don't have enough messages that you should help yourself out?
Heck, that's one of the reasons I like both Cinderella and Prudence. In different ways, they have both thought something along the lines of what you just said.
And I just wanted to say something that urks me.
It
IRKS you!
So many people seem to think Ariel, Belle, and Jasmine are so much better than Snow White, Cinderella, and Aurora. Why? Because they're feistier? Having a sassy personality does not make you better than someone who is more quiet or subdued.
This IRKS me, as well. Sometimes I think the "modern" princesses stand on the edge of the bratty side, especially Ariel and Jasmine.
Since when is Belle smart? Because she reads? She read about "a beanstalk and an ogre", she read about "far of places, magic spells, a prince in disguise." She didn't read Aristotle! It annoys me when people characterize her as a philosipher or say she is intelligent just because she reads a lot. Please. She reads fairy tales. I'm not saying she's not smart, I'm just saying she's not smarter than any other princess just because you see her reading.
Out of mere curiosity, was your mention of Aristotle in my honor by any chance? I remember I brought up said Greek
philosopher in our first conversation.
People just need to stop freaking out about these things, because as long as you (the parent) are around then you will still be your childs hero because you are a real person and even very small children can identify with you better than a piece of plastic as long as you try.
