It's not the first time I've seen it, or something like it, and I'm certain it won't be the last. I was offended, and took this very personally, because these are the women that I first began to admire. (Don't worry, I didn't go on a trolling spree.)
I would like to address the main reasons why people criticize the Disney princesses:
1. Unrealistic expectations of self---So beauty-oriented!
2. Unrealistic expectations of men.
3. Undesirable actions/misbehavior
1. I would like to address these beginning with UNREALISTIC.
It's a called a fairytale. People, think about it. What fairy-tale focuses on realism? (Fairies are real.)
Now, back to the check list:
1. Beauty-oriented: so what if they are? Do you think anything on TV or in Vogue, or Barbies, or Bratz Dolls, or Justice posters is any different?
The Disney princesses are beautiful; inside and out. And all of them have at least one other good quality: Cinderella, Aurora and Snow White were all good, kind women. Jasmine, Rapunzel and Belle stood up for themselves. Mulan and Aurora sacrificed their own happiness for the good of their countries, and Tiana worked for what she wanted.
I'd much rather have my children get their ideals of beauty from these princesses of character than from TV commercials and magazines that are photo-shopped, edited, and otherwise anorexic.
2. Unrealistic Expectations of Men: As you may have read above, "As long as you're beautiful enough, men will protect and provide for you."
My question for you is, what are these unrealistic expectations?
That the man you marry love you? That he be faithful to you? That he be kind to you? That he defeat the dragon for you? These should all be realistic. (Except the dragon.)
Should my man be rich?
Not all the Disney Princes were princes: Aladdin and Eugene married money, and Shang wasn't a prince, but he was a good man. Naveen was a prince but he was broke. Beast was a prince, but he was a . . . Beast. Eventually they get their business straight, and the princesses forgive them.
Should women expect men to do everything for them? No! Definitely not!!!
"Cinderella believed in dreams all right, but she also believed in doing something about them... When Prince Charming didn't come along, she went over to the palace and got him." ~ Walt Disney.There you go. Straight from the horse's mouth.
Of course there will be trying times, disagreements, arguments, hurt-feelings and frustration. But I don't think any good parent would expect Disney, or anyone else to teach his child how to deal with relationship problems.
3. Undesirable Actions/misbehavior
I will openly admit that there are princesses that do things they shouldn't. Running away from home, dating thieves and beastly people, soliciting help from a sea-witch, marrying at 15, 16, and seriously dating at 18.
I have two points to make:
1. There are always consequences.
Usually bad ones too. Jasmine felt horrible and wished she had never left the palace when she thought that Aladdin had died, and that it was all her fault.
Cinderella and Rapunzel disobeyed evil parent-figures. But seriously, think about it: if you died, and your child was left under the care of a step-parent who was mistreating him, wouldn't you hope that he had the courage to disobey, stand up for himself, and leave? I would. I would hope that for any person.
What about Pocahontas? Not only as a Disney princess but as a real princess and historical figure? She disobeyed her dad, she publicly told him he was wrong and *it could be construed* that she threw a public hissy fit. But she did the right thing, and she saved a man's life, and probably her people from the wrathful retribution of the Europeans (who would have been outraged at the death of John Smith.)
She behaved selfishly almost the entire movie, but I still love this movie for two reasons: the music, and I learned something.
I learned that adults can be wrong, and that it's okay, and that parents are people who are just learning too. I learned that parents can be wrong, and that it doesn't make them bad parents. I learned that even if I make a big mistake, my parents will still love me. I can't tell you how much easier it was to deal with a bipolar, OCD parent, after realizing this.
2. Disney has done a good job of cleaning up the stories.
Original Scheherazade's One Thousand and One Nights: Jasmine was wed to a man whom (through intervention of the Genie) didn't consummate the marriage. And so shamed, the marriage was annulled and the man was cast out and thus was Alladin able to marry Jasmine. *Not child-appropraite*
Original Grimm rendition of Rapunzel included the evil witch noticing that Rapunzel was knocked up, when she complained that her clothes were too tight. Rapunzel was exiled and gave birth to twin boys in the wilderness, and finally stumbled upon her lost love who had been blinded by the witch. *Not child-appropriate*
Original Grimm rendition of Snow White's wedding, has the evil queen dancing for them, wearing red-hot iron slippers. What a lovely wedding gift. *Not public TV appropriate*
Belle had two ornery older sisters who were turned to stone at her wedding, because they hated her.
Anderson's original Little Mermaid dies at the end of the tale. She can't get the prince to love her, but she does get a soul. (I really do love the original version best, but you can't have everybody die in a kid's movie, that would be like Toy Story 3's almost ending or Cars 2, or Macbeth.) *Please catch the heavy sarcasm*
In conclusion:
"The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind."
-Margaret D. Nadauld
I admire that the Disney versions of the fairy-tales say that acting like a lady and working hard will get you places. That being a real man, is being a gentleman.
I am grateful that the Disney renditions always have hope.
Hope that no matter how dark the night, powerful the enemy, or bleak the situation, that things can get better and that being loving and kind will protect you, lead you to do great things, and inspire others to do the same.
No comments:
Post a Comment