PERFECTION | PERCEPTION

by Sasha Palma Madrigal

Talking teapots, flying carpets, and singing mice. Despite films from the Walt Disney Company being well known for their magical creatures and imaginative fairy tales, the most unrealistic aspect of the classic stories are their portrayal of female characters. Disney princesses are often portrayed with unnaturally small waists, hourglass figures, huge doll-like eyes and other features that simply aren’t attainable to a real human. These unnatural beauty standards have been instilled in children who carry it through adulthood. With a quick swipe on Instagram it’s clear that these standards of beauty are still prevalent today, beauty is rewarded with likes and follows. Physical beauty is glorified in Disney films and being attractive is associated with being ‘good.’ The beautiful heroines of the film contrast with the often ‘ugly’ and ‘old’ villains. Young girls are unconsciously manipulated into setting impossible standards for themselves and their bodies. They strive to be like their favorite princesses, and while adults might be aware these are fictional characters, children look up to the characters as role models and strive to be perfect like they are. Many children become obsessed with looking and acting like their favorite princess, which can later turn to mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia.

As if being unrealistic body expectations was not enough, the character traits these fictional characters possess heavily influence children. Disney princesses convey the message that to be beautiful and feminine, one must be obedient, naive, and depend on a man to achieve their dreams. Consider Snow White who can only be woken up by a kiss from a man, or Cinderella who needs a man to save her from her uncaring family. Disney attempts to teach children happily ever after is possible regardless of current circumstances. Unfortunately, they fail to also teach that one can obtain happiness without the help of a man.

One cannot fully blame Disney for their traditional way of thinking. After all, the first Disney princesses emerged in the 1940’s-1950’s. During this time, society encouraged traditional gender roles and did not encourage women to be independent or outspoken. Society applauded the ‘damsel in distress’ character and believed a woman could only be saved by a man. To make the princesses accepted by the audience at the time, they also encouraged the obedient, passive woman.

Fashion also played an important part in Disney movies and contributed heavily to the magical aesthetic of the films. Most princesses are first presented wearing simple outfits in the beginning of the movie, before the magical ‘transformation.’ In the film Beauty and the Beast, Belle wears a blue dress, for example, with a white apron and a simple hair bow. By the end, she walks down the stairs in a dazzling yellow gown. Or in Cinderella, the princess transforms from wearing a ripped up, handmade dress to a sparkling blue ball gown. With every transformation, comes a new stunning dress and gorgeous tiara. Young girls are drawn to the beautiful garments in the film and further reinforce the obsession placed on the physical appearance in women. And while beautiful clothes are not necessarily detrimental to children, more focus should be placed on the inner changes a princess undergoes, rather than just the physical one. In some movies, no inner changes are accomplished at all. Success is defined by becoming even more beautiful. Could this explain why we go out and dye our hair or buy new clothes when we are desperate to change something in our own lives? The good news is Disney continues to progress along with society and their latest princesses are more independent and not as motivated by romance. Moana has no love interest but is motivated by her passion and love for her home. Tiana is also following her dream of opening her own restaurant. While Tiana does find love in the end, it is only after she continues to pursue her own dreams rather than waiting for a man to fulfill them for her. Hopefully Disney continues to feature strong and realistic princesses so young girls are given a chance to experience the magic Disney is known for, while also helping them find their own strengths and passions. After all, what could be more magical than that?