Credit: DisneyYou are not alone if you are looking for a Disney movie with a strong female character or a spunky Disney Princess at the forefront. Female empowerment songs, female empowerment movies, and female empowerment slogans are rising in popularity, and we are seeing a trend of strong women prevailing in the newest Disney movies. You may be wrong if you don’t necessarily think of Disney Princess movies as a win for female empowerment.
The Traditional Disney Princess
If the mention of a Disney Princess movie evokes a vision of traditional gender roles and a delicate Princess like Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, or Princess Jasmine waiting for help from a prince, you are not alone. Some of the older Disney films do not entertain with feminism and gender equality at the forefront of the story. However, newer Disney films have done a better job in this department.
The leading Lady of Zootopia, Officer Judy Hopps dreams of protecting the residents of Zootopia and not hopping off to her happily ever after. Moana shrugs off the roles set forth for her on the island of Montunui and takes to the sea to restore the heart of Te Fiti and save her island. Talk about a strong female character, Moana, did a lot for female empowerment in Disney movies.
Changing Times?
In recent years, we’ve seen changes for the better in Disney Princesses in animated films. This new type of Disney Princess is more relatable. We’ve seen animated movies that introduce a young girl that embraces her heroine’s journey to set things right instead of single-mindedly pursuing a romantic relationship. Quirky Princesses like Merida of the Scottish Highlands taught us that it’s okay to be different and that we all make mistakes. Aurora, in the live-action movie Maleficent taught us to look past the rough exterior to see the true character of others. Moana taught us that strength and being faithful to your calling are essential. Even sisters Anna and Elsa showed us that romantic relationships aren’t the only valuable ones. They repaired their bond as sisters and led the Kingdom of Arendelle to a new day.
Princess Fanatics
Disney Princess body types’ impact on young children rose to the forefront as discussions about inclusive body image arose in the 2000s. Are Disney Princesses a lousy influence on body image? For decades Disney was guilty of creating cartoon Princesses that did not reflect real bodies. Critics and parents worried that the classic Disney fairytale reinforces gender stereotypes and traditional gender roles that not every child will ascribe to.
Worries about body image and the unrealistic physique of Princesses in animated movies caused conversation among feminists and families concerned about the overactive princess culture that little girls obsessed over. Conversations around feminism, hyper-girliness, and princess movie culture areare discussed on mom blogs and in pieces like the Peggy Ornstein book, “Cinderella Ate My Daughter,” published in 2011.
The Princess Body Image Issue
Dainty feet, thin waists, huge eyes, and perfect hair were hallmarks of female Disney characters for decades. Luckily, recent Disney movies have promoted more body inclusivity. We all want to see a Disney princess that reminds us of ourselves. Now, we see more realistic hair types, greater size and ethnic diversity, and more realistic body proportions and facial features in animated characters.
Silly though it may seem, I was excited to see Moana embracing a top knot bun as she fought against the waves in this 2016 movie. (I can’t be the only Disney Princess fan that detested the long flowing locks leading ladies’ sport despite the activity, humidity, or weather.) I also loved that Moana’s body looked more like an ordinary young woman with standard feet, strong muscled legs, and sometimes frizzy hair. This made her no less beautiful than other Disney princesses—but these touchpoints made her feel more realistic.
Even more traditional Disney Princess movies, Frozen and Frozen II, showcase strong women who value family and a well-rounded life. Anna and Elsa give family relationships equal emphasis along with a yearning for true love. But we are not rewriting a fairytale completely. After all, Disney Channel Original Movies in the 90s and live-action classics, like Princess Diaries, taught us decades ago that you can write your fairytale as a strong woman.
Girl Power in Disney Channel Original Movies
As a 90s kid, I was utterly enamored with Disney Channel Original Movies like Gotta Kick It Up! and The Cheetah Girls, which showcase girls taking up their power and making their dreams come true. As kids of the late 90s and early 2000s, my girlfriends and I enjoyed a classic Disney Princess movie, but we saw ourselves in the fun, messy and quirky teens of Disney Channel Original Movies.
Disney Feminism
The discussion of female empowerment in recent Disney movies is timely, considering the video circulating of the newest Disney Princess, Rachel Zegler. Describing the Snow White remake with a more feminist spin where Snow White developed as a leader instead of riding off into the sunset with her Prince, Zegler’s comments made waves among fans.
A popular TikTok creator posed an interesting point about the “pseudo-feminism” of those speaking out against traditional Disney Princesses. @cosywithangie pointed out that “Real feminism is about depicting women who have different wants and different needs and different personalities who come from different races and ethnicities. And depicting them all as equally valuable with something to offer and something to say and a voice that should be heard.”
@cosywithangie Just because a woman values something different, does not make her any less valuable. Some women want a career and not marriage. Some women want a marriage or family and not a job. Some women want BOTH. All are to be heard, and seen, and valued. Write stories about ALL women and depict them ALL as valuable and worthy, instead of trying to mold them into one specific image of what you deem worthy. Thank you. #snowwhite #snowwhiteliveaction #snowwhitecontroversy #disney
This creator and other Disney fans offer an alternate view of Disney Princess feminism and female empowerment. I enjoy this ongoing debate as another way to engage with my favorite Disney characters in the context of women’s studies and sociological discussions.
What do you think? Is Disney promoting girl power, strong female characters, and providing good role models for kids? Which of the Disney women are your favorite and why?