Why I'm a proud Disney-loving feminist

Ah, Disney and Feminism - two things that are often pitted against each other. When most people think of the Walt Disney Company in relation to the portrayal of women - in particular their famous lineup of princesses - they think "outdated", "passive" and often "anti-feminist". The Disney Princesses constantly come under flack for being bad role models for young children, which is a viewpoint I am strongly opposed to. As I identify as feminist, this is an opinion I'm sure a lot of people may think of as hypocritical or wrong. "Ariel gave up her voice to be with man!" "All the princesses end up married!" "Beauty And The Beast promotes Stockholm Syndrome!" Though there are elements of truth in a lot of the company's criticisms, there is also a lot of misunderstanding.

A common issue that the media, in particular feminist critics, find in the lineup of Disney women is the importance placed on beauty and the idea that being pretty will get you where you want in life. Criticism has been focused on the attractiveness of seemingly all of the female leads in Disney movies, with comparisons drawn to the diverse body types and character designs of women seen in other animation studios' films (a particular modern favourite being Eep from DreamWorks Animation's The Croods). I personally can see the point behind this criticism - I believe Disney as of the latest few features have gone to the same design for their female characters and a little more diversity would always be welcome. But the idea of being pretty being the other thing that matters is extremely untrue. Though a lot of the princesses may initially catch the eye of their suitors due to their physical appearance, it is in many cases their personalities that are the most important part of their character throughout the movie. In Snow White And The Seven Dwarves, the eponymous heroine may be the fairest of them all but it is her kind nature and positivity during hardship that wins the love and friendship of the dwarves. In the most recent movie Frozen bumbling awkward Anna is the one who gets the man, through the bond they forge over their dramatic journey together. Belle in Beauty And The Beast constantly is told that she is beautiful but she knows there is more than life to that, as she rejects sexist town heartthrob Gaston in favor of the Beast. There is no doubt that the princesses are beautiful and this is definitely alluded to, heck even played up by the Disney Princess franchise of merchandise, but when you watch and pay attention to the movie it is far from the only notable part of their characters.

Possibly the biggest criticism made of Disney women is their so-called "lack of independence" as well as their weakness. This, in my opinion, is total shit. Even looking at the earliest Disney women there is little passivity. Snow White escapes her abusive stepmother and basically starts her own business, despite this being housework (a typical gender role). Aurora rebels against her family in order to dream of the life she wants. Ariel goes after her passions despite what her loving yet oppressive father orders. Mulan defies gender roles to fight for her honor. It's a pretty reoccurant theme - Disney women are boss ass bitches who dare to dream and will fight for their goals, their hopes, their freedom - whether this is a man or not. Ariel in particular is a character who is extremely heavily criticized which infuriates me to no end. Many claim she gives up her voice purely to be with a man, which is technically true however it is made clear she wants to be a human way before love even enters the picture. She's 16, she's curious and she's oppressed - when an option comes along for her to escape the world she hates so much, she takes it. And it's also worth noting that she SAVES her prince long before he saves her. Cinderella is also important in this argument, often being lumped into the category of generic princess waiting to be saved. Cinderella is one of the strongest Disney women in my opinion - "they can't order me to stop dreaming" is a quote that always sticks with me as showing incredible emotional strength and inspiration. Walt Disney himself even said that Cindy was his favourite princess stating

“She 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.”

The latest Disney princesses are great examples of active and independent female characters. Tiana runs her own business and works hard but also acknowledges the importance of love. Merida shoots for her own hand, riding off into the sunset (literally) without a man by her side. Elsa, also without a male counterpart, is strong, beautiful and heartbreakingly inspirational in her struggles and eventual acceptance of her powers (an incredibly powerful analogy to mental illness), Rapunzel has an incredible scene where she stands up to her abuser and seizes her own power. Though some critics argue the feminism in Disney is simple, it definitely is there and it is extremely important in my opinion.

Disney princesses may be beautiful. They may often end up with a husband and they may need saving sometimes. But this doesn't mean they can't kick ass, speak their mind and save themselves and others. Though some aspects such as character design and diversity can be improved, Disney has taught me that it's okay to be scared sometimes but it is possible to get out of those situations through hard work and positivity. It shows that love is important but so is hard work. It shows that you can be beautiful but there is more to you than that. And I'm proud to say that I'm a feminist who adores Disney.

"I am a princess, long may I reign."