Seven dwarves, one wicked influence? Photo by jmacphoto.com
Last month a $110 million museum opened in San Francisco, dedicated to the life and accomplishments of Walt Disney. Located in a former army barracks and two adjoining buildings inside the city’s 1,491-acre Presidio National Park, it houses some of the earliest sketches of Mickey Mouse, audio recordings of Disney himself, as well as notes detailing his thought processes during on early projects, and of course numerous pieces of memorabilia.
Museum board member Diane Disney Miller, Disney’s daughter, was quoted in a Bloomberg article saying, “I think a lot of people don’t know [Walt Disney is] anything but a brand… I want people to know who he really was.”
By most accounts the museum makes a fitting and honest tribute to the visionary cartoonist’s legacy, but it’s that very legacy and the Disney brand that have sometimes incited controversy. In particular, Disney’s fascination with and promotion of princesses has concerned parents who sometimes see these slender and arguably over sexualized icons as potentially dangerous role models.
In a 2006 New York Times article, author Peggy Orenstein wrote:
There are no studies proving that playing princess directly damages girls’ self-esteem or dampens other aspirations. On the other hand, there is evidence that young women who hold the most conventionally feminine beliefs — who avoid conflict and think they should be perpetually nice and pretty — are more likely to be depressed…
While some of Disney’s more modern characters like Mulan or Pocahontas have defied female stereotypes to a point, Orenstein says, they are usually not the ones marketed to girls and held up as figures to emulate. One counter argument is that a princess obsession is a harmless phase that girls grow out of, but not everyone is convinced.
What is your take? Do Disney princesses make for bad role models? What do you see as the Walt Disney legacy? Discuss!
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree, that Disney has a history of churning out horrible examples for our daughters. However, I speak NOT of the cartoon princess model, but of the Britney Super-Slut Spears types… They are, regardless of fault, the product of their Disney-Based childhood careers, and I refuse to allow my children to watch Disney, as a result.
To complete this story, they are not permitted Nickelodeon either, for same / similar reasoning…
i am in complete agreement that these beautiful, skinny, princess like characters who often just end up falling head over heals over some handsome prince – really influences the minds of our children at a young age. It sets particular expectations of what is deemed beautiful. It sets expectations on what it means to be a lovable woman. It sets expectations on what love is what one should expect out of them. Unfortunately all of it through the lens of disney which is not very accurate to reality.
I think maybe the plots influence them more than anything. All of the plots of most cartoons center around a princess finding her prince, which magically makes her life amazing. Little girls grow up expecting a perfect Prince Charming, and when that doesn't happen, they don't know how to deal with real-life conflicts. There are amazing men out there, but they aren't perfect…women who keep expecting someone to sweep them off their feet and make everything better suffer from believing these movies (or even novels) because they can't accept true love when it comes around as they expect it to look like something else.
I think that this article is the stupidest thing ever!! If you believe that these disney princesses are a bad influence then ur just retarded. No offense. I have watched disney movies all my life and im not screwed up. I dont feel like i need to be skinny to be beautiful. Most of the children get there influences from other things like school and friends. Or they get if off tv of things you think they dont catch but they do. I do agree however with the teen pop culture. Those are who little girls look up to because they are real people not cartoons and thats who they want to be like. I have and will always be a disney fan and if you others dont like it then find something else!!!
Mommy 08 I am with you. I would also add girls emulate their parents as well.
While I can understand why some may feel Disney Princesses make bad role models…seeing as most of the female leads in the Disney ovies are known for being subservient, most of those films are older though. A lot of the newer stuff offer Princesses that make their own choices, stand up for what they believe, and enjoy adventure. So while I wouldn't want my daughter to follow *every* example from Disney movies, for the most part, I don't worry about young girls picking up too many negative things.
Society today encourages our youth to marry older and they are having less kids. The ideals of family are going away. It's more priority put into recreational activities, enroll your kids in everything and also anything that has to do with technology. These are things that continue to take us away from strong families. Just because some see Disney movies as harmless does that mean that there is really anything good or productive being taught. As we raise our kids in the society that condones a lot of immorality we need to be careful who we let into our kids lives to be "role models". What self images do we want our kids to have? If there is something that may or may not influence a negative self image would you risk that chance? We need to also remind ourselves what kind of adults do we want to raise.
Society today encourages our youth to marry older and they are having less kids. The ideals of family are going away. It's more priority put into recreational activities, enroll your kids in everything and also anything that has to do with technology. These are things that continue to take us away from strong families. Just because some see Disney movies as harmless does that mean that there is really anything good or productive being taught. As we raise our kids in the society that condones a lot of immorality we need to be careful who we let into our kids lives to be "role models". What self images do we want our kids to have? If there is something that may or may not influence a negative self image would you risk that chance? We need to also remind ourselves what kind of adults do we want to raise.
And kids are supposed to grow up with no imagination? Please! You'd think that my 5 year old daughter imagines she will live in the woods with a bunch of dwarves when she grows up. I see nothing wrong with her being a girl. What you fools who agree with this article and slam Disney don't get is that girls will grow up looking for the man they see in their fathers. It's natural. I do think there is overkill in the merchandising of the toys, but what toy line is exempt from that? It's about your guiding your kids to realize that it's a cartoon and it's pretend. If you aren't doing that part and just letting your kids zone out to a given movie, then you will reap what they see.
I think the parents have more to do with a child's gender role expectations than these movies do.
I don't think the Disney princesses should be done away with, because they are not some horrible influence like Brittney or Miley. It is also the root of most childhood fantasies and imagination, I think, like everything else in this world, there are good and bad parts.
If you look at the Disney princesses, they are all beautiful and men adore them. Often, they are helpless, (looking at snow white) and need the handsome prince to save them. The villains are often old, hideous or fat. This shows young girls that if you are not beautiful and thin like snow white, you will not find true love. I mean, would you ever see a slightly heavier or plain looking Disney princess? No, of course not.
I think Mulon is the absolute best Disney heroine there is, however.