Disney.
That's all you need to see.
And when you do see that word, I inquire what dances through your mind. The place where dreams come true? Timon and Pumbaa eating bugs? False images? Your favorite movie? Subliminal messages? Those same figured princesses prancing in dresses of "feminine" colors? I haven't fully completed my study on Disney, and the subliminal messages in your favorite films are pretty controversial, but when we're talking Disney princesses, I can set fire with the issues related to them varying from the physical makeup, the plot of the story, to the roles of the characters. It's true, you can find flaws in any cartoon and any story-no matter how brilliant the script is-but my major issue stems from the influence Disney has on our young men, women, and children (BOTH, boys and girls).
How dreamy? Some man more fortunate than me rescues me from my unbearable life of misfortunes, and I become royalty! I become relevant through him and my flawless beauty grasps the breath of every person in my perimeter. I'm sure you're tired of hearing the rants about these princesses, and if you're unfamiliar, allow me to enlighten you from my perspective. My main issue: PHYSICAL FRAMEWORK. Breasts? Check. Small waist? Check. Thin build? Check. Flawless skin? CHECK. The "I wake up and my hair is long and just this beautiful" hair type? Check. ALL of the original Disney princesses were designed with the same build. It only seems to have reiterated society's norms for what women should look like. Petite, thin, flawless. But, that's not realistic. The absence of variations in figure for these princesses shows limited acknowledgement of women that don't fit that image. What about the rest us? Where do we fit in? Or don't we?
It's become a popular topic discussion now-right along with Barbie's image. The figure of these princesses and Barbie are unrealistic. It suggests that this size is the ONLY healthy size and correct size, and that is not true. Now even though manufacturers are considering making a "plus size" Barbie, they still fail in the image of that name..."Plus-size". The "plus-size Barbie" has a double chin, but the same nose, same blue eyes, same blonde hair. What is "plus-size"? What's "skinny"? Lean? Thick? Obese..anyway, it's ALSO unrealistic and inaccurate. But, back to the princesses...besides the physical figure, hair type and style is next. I'm certain all of us wake up with shiny, (pressed in my case if my 'fro has been tamed or my plaits are out) astounding hair. Cinderella didn't sweat one bit in her fairy-tale. Ariel's hair dried right up when she flopped out of the water. Sleeping Beauty (who slept) had the perfect curls to match her perfect tiara as she waited to exchange lip germs with her knight in shining armor.
Almost all of the original princesses obtain long hair (with the exception of Snow White). Where are the natural curls? The Afro? The short cut? The plaits? The bob? No? Also, another attempt to reiterate the "norms" of a woman physically. Also, they're limited in the realistic idea of what various women's hair looks like. Their skin? No scars, no freckles or moles, no cultural/tribal skin art. They didn't even have ashy elbows! Definitely not realistic! Not to mention the absence of tattoos (but those would really create an uproar)! Despite the few story twists and rookie princesses in which the princesses have some color, do a little work on their own to accomplish their dreams, start out as royalty, or deduct a few steps from the knight to save the damsel, there are still some malfunctions.
The story-line reiterates a girl being saved by a man who, in fact, changes her whole life for the better. I've met little girls who have argued with me about them not needing to work because their prince would work for them, and they'd have every jewel and tiara in stock (accompanied with those extra bright dresses). Where is the independence? The example that these princesses chased their dreams on their own or started from nothing and worked for everything? Are these stories ways of reinforcing pieces of the gender roles in the "American Dream"? How long will we watch these young girls wait for someone to rescue them? Are these princesses suggesting that only a certain type of woman can be a princess? Where is the realism?While these young children are waiting on someone to fulfill their dreams, how will they learn about getting up and creating them? Some girls, boys, and women are searching for the tiaras that belong to the princesses in those fictitious fairy-tales, but they don't see the crown that belongs to them sitting on top of their head.
Grab your crown...and your own armor.
With realness,
Bee Elae
12/30/2013
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