I was reading a blog post I found at a friends blog that really bothered me. (See her post here: http://www.phdinparenting.com/2010/03/09/all-i-think-about-is-princesses/ )
I take huge issue with this post. Let me preface this with a few things. 1) I am NOT a feminist, however, I would not say I take the role of a traditional woman either. Currently I work full time so my husband can focus on school. We split the chores, with him often doing dishes and laundry while I work in the yard. 2) I have see EVERY DISNEY PRINCESS MOVIE many times. 3. I am not a mom, so perhaps I will change my mind when I have kids and reserve the right to do so. 3) I strongly believe in gender roles. Being a woman is part of who I am, and in the "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" it talks about how beautiful and special our gender roles are. That being said, I don't think that women should be seen as prizes or men loved for thier money, I'm just saying that we need to recognize that as men an women we are different and not try to ignore that fact.
I feel like some of the people fighting Disney so hard about thier horrible stereotypes have not done their research. To prove my point I plan on walking you through the "Major" Disney Princesses.
1. Snow White - Alright, I will give you the fact that she is a princess through and through. Dainty, soft spoken, and kind. I dont' know about you, but those aren't necessarily bad traits...and everyone has a personality, that just happens to be hers. She is also a hard worker. When she is forced to flee from her evil stepmother (who by the way is also a woman!!!) she doesn't just mope about it, she finds a place to live and does her best to earn her keep. Yes, she is cooking and cleaning, but more importantly she is recognizing a need and fillign it. I hope my girls have that skill. Her only major fault is trusting a stranger, and it turns out terrible, but that is another lesson I want my girls to learn, so in this case I think it carries a strong message. The happily ever after is the end of the story, not the journey itself.
2. Ariel - Okay, I'll give you this one, she is terrible. As far as princesses go she is the worst. Disobedient, disrespectful, and defiant. She makes a deal with the devil and it works out in the end for her anyway. She is NOT a good role model for little girls, and I hope my daughter does not fall in love with her. That's one for the bad examples, however, she is STILL not portraying the lazy girl who doesn't want to do anything. She doesn't let life happen to her or want to marry a prince. Instead she falls in love with a guy, without knowing who he was. She makes things happen, rather than waiting for them to happen for her. Even though I do not like her, she is still not the "stereotypical" pretty face-empty headed princess.
3. Belle - Possibly the best princess of all time. Belle is smart, driven, and caring. She loves her father and does everything she knows how to protect him. She sees beyond images to the person underneath and finds what really matters. I want my daughters to emulate her. Good things happen to her because she is a good person who works hard and is kind and loving. She even makes the right choices in tough situations. She never sits at home to be rescued, but does the rescuing herself. She is so far from the "princess" stereotype I don't she should even be included.
5. Cinderella - She is the hardest worker I know. And she is EXTREMELY respectful. She is kind to her step-sisters and step mother, even when they torture her. She leaves the prince not wanting marriage, but humming about love. She did not even know he was the prince! She was only looking for happiness, and the message is that her happy ending comes from her being a good person, not wanting to marry a prince.
4. Sleeping Beauty - Yes, she is a princess, and yes she is my favorite, but that is besides the point. She is raised to work and help out around the house, not even knowing she was a princess. In fact, when she learns she is supposed to marry a prince, she is mortified, because it is not what she wanted. She wanted to marry for love, not riches. It is only due to sheer luck that the prince and her love were one in the same, otherwise it would not have happened. Again, a message and example I want my girls to follow: Love and hapiness are one in the same, not love and wealth/royalty.
5. Jasmine - Again, she is a princess to start, but a strong and independent one. She tries to run away from being forced to marry for riches or title. She takes life by her own hands and refuses to be forced into anything. Clearly she is not looking at image, but a person who makes her happy.
6. Tiana - Anyone who actually watched this adorable movie would never even bucket her in the "princess" category. She is one of the hardest working characters ever displayed. Her prince is shown as selfish, and is the one who needs to change before things work. When he is a selfish prince she is not interested. It boils down them falling in love while they work hard to overcome a difficult situation. She was happy with him as a frog....a FROG!!! Clearly they both learned to see past images! Another great example for girls.
Okay, so perhaps this not the best writing, but I think the argument above is solid. So based on these examples, here is my conclusion. This is not mean to be a personal attack, rather a comment in general. If you have a little girl who is obsessed with being a princess based on disney's empire, and she thinks being beautiful and marrying rich are the only things that matter, it is not disney teaching this message. It is lack of parenting. Disney has provided some great learning opportunities here for us to teach children about what is really important. If children walk away from these movies thinking that the gender roles of being "beautiful and finding a rich guy to marry" are what these movies are about, then perhaps it is the parents who are not teaching because that is certainly not the message of these films.....
So there you have it....what are your thoughts on gender roles as portrayed by Disney.
6 comments:
Alright, I am soooo glad you posted this. AMAZING insight and true description of each character! I went to the site and read the comments as well and it was almost frustrating to see how people truly only see the surface and don't bother to look deeper and what it is all really trying to say. I would way rather have my daughters emulate the sweet, hard-working, independent princesses rather than some of the people she pointed out. Not that they were bad themselves just different. I really think you should post this in comments of that blog-I think it woul dhelp them to see deeper. Thanks for the thoughts and for making me laugh a bit too! :)
I liked it. :) Plus disney princesses are much better role models than girls like MJ from spiderman who can't seem do do anything but scream!
I haven't read the original post yet, but you know I like to look back at Disney movies from time to time. Not having read it, I'd say another potential problem is that it ignores the Disney heroines who aren't princesses, but who are role models just the same, like Mulan (you know I love her), Nani (Lilo's older sister from Lilo and Stitch), and Meg (whose sacrifice saves the man she loves).
And Shelly's right, Disney isn't the only "empire" thriving on stereotypes; pretty much the entire entertainment industry is doing it. And let's not forget the publishing industry... and a certain popular book series with a blatant, horrible, soul-sucking "damsel in distress" theme that just so happens to be one of the best-selling series of all time. You know.
Anyway, while I may not totally agree with all of what you said (for example, I think Jasmine's awfulness is second only to Ariel's), you have a valid point. People are making a mountain out of a molehill with this.
Also, the color of your font makes it hard to read long posts without squinting. :P
I love you Diane! thanks for making me smile and enlightening me--it's so true!
I like seeing you taking a stand. I went and read the original post before I read your rebuttal, and I totally agree with you. I was uncertain if the writer of the original post had much interaction with her child, or actually watched any of the Disney films. If my daughter said, "All I think about is princesses." I would ask her why? She might tell me she wants to be adventurous, smart, and kind, thus putting my worries to rest. If not, and all she wants to be is pretty in pink, then I know I have a teaching moment here and some work to do to help my child recognize their own great qualities.
What got me most was in the comments, one reader states, "Our girls should be raised to be smart, daring, and adventurous. Girls should be allowed to dream of things other than princesses and pink." I think it is quite obvious that this mom has not watched the Disney films. As you pointed out, most Disney heroines portray these exact qualities (smart, daring, and adventurous). In fact, the only Disney female I can think of right now who dreamed of "princesses and pink" was Tiana's friend and she was obviously not the one meant to be emulated. That said, even she was still a good friend, and good person despite her "princess fever".
I really liked your synopsis, and I agree, you should post it in response to the other blog. While not everyone is perfect, and Disney has it's share of flaws, I think they still have better morals, characters, and stories than most other entertainment options out there. Besides, that is what it is meant for, entertainment, not instruction or a substitute for parenting. Like you said, that's our job, to help our children navigate the millions of conflicting messages bombarding them in the media, at school, and on the street.
You're going to be a great mom :)
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