Chapman writes of her character, 'Merida was created to break that mould … To give young girls a better, stronger role model, a more attainable role model, something of substance, not just a pretty face that waits around for romance.' This difference is, of course, intentional. Merida similarly rejects girly dresses and other typical trappings of Disney princesses, and is depicted in a plainer, un-sexualized fashion. While some princess have goals that extend beyond romance, Brave is the first of these films that does not show a happy ending replete with handsome prince and happily-ever-after. Most of the images presented through these princesses are of women who are incredibly thin with large breasts, and for most princesses the storyline ends with marriage or other romantic fulfillment. Whether or not you agree with Hardstein, many of these films present harmful images that promote narrow ideals of beauty and happiness. Hardstein theorizes that these films create a “princess syndrome” whereby young girls are taught that if they are pretty enough they will find happiness, love, and fulfillment.

The images of these princesses that Disney promotes impact and inform children’s understanding of themselves, their appearances, and their goals. As a child I desperately wished for her pretty yellow ball gown and her incredible library.ĭisney’s princesses, through their films and aggressive merchandising campaigns following those films, become icons for many young children. She was the princess that looked the most like me, as we are both white and both have dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. Growing up, Belle from Beauty and the Beast was my favorite Disney princess. With expansions into more and more products, from dresses to dolls to lunchboxes and backpacks and plastic dishware, their influence only continues to grow and inform culture. The princesses both reflect and perpetuate standards of beauty in Western society, and have done so for decades. In response, Disney has removed the sexualized image from its website, and hopefully will pursue a more accurate representation of Brave’s heroine moving forward.ĭisney princess have a history of representing thin, sexualized, and often white beauty (the first princess who was not white was Jasmine, introduced in 1992). Recently Disney released a redesign of their most recent princess, Merida, from the film Brave, which sexualized her image and placed her more in line with the Disney princesses who came before her.īrenda Chapman, writer and co-director of the film, and a host of parents expressed their distaste with the re-design of Merida through a petition that garnered over 200,000 signatures.

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