Ever since its founding in October 1923, Disney has been on every child’s mind.
It’s been named the "Happiest Place on Earth” for years, and what’s not to love about Disney? It has its own theme park, its own characters and its own recognizable Disney logo.
However, Disney has been more than a love; it has been an influence on generations and cultures. For young girls across the globe, the Disney princesses can be amazing role models.
The story of "Mulan" takes place in ancient China. Mulan teaches girls to do drastic things for the people they love and to help others. She completely goes against gender stereotypes and takes her father’s place in the army. Women weren’t allowed to enter the U.S. Armed Forces until 1948, much less in ancient China. Men shouldn’t hold a girl back, and Mulan doesn’t let any male tell her she can’t do something.
Another Disney lady who doesn’t let society control her life and cares for her family is Pocahontas. The creators of Disney took historical figures and gave them an animated life. Despite the protests of her tribe members to not trust the white man, Pocahontas finds her own path and herself as she falls for John Smith. She’s given the opportunity to start a new civil life in England, but she cannot abandon her people. "Pocahontas" shows everyone the meaning of loyalty.
One of the more recent princesses is Tiana from "The Princess and the Frog." Tiana was the first African-American princess and that alone was a huge statement from Disney. The story takes place in the 1920s where Tiana is held back by her race and her gender. Unlike other royal ladies, Tiana works hard to fulfill her dream and finds love on the way. No one paved her way to the top. She climbed toward it and gets there with a little help from some friends. Out of all of Disney’s leading ladies, Tiana is definitely the one who shows the most determination.
"Cinderella," the original rags-to-riches story, is one of the most iconic works of Disney even though it was originally a Grimm fairy tale. Today, many modern feminists criticize this movie because she fell in love after one night and had to dress herself up to even get the man. This is not fair. Cinderella came from two dead parents and was left with a terrible stepmother. Day after day she did endless chores and never complained about the little rewards she was given. She was definitely a “look on the bright side” princess, and girls are taught at a young age to think of the positives in a situation rather than the negatives.
Disney’s leading ladies are a great way to send hidden messages to young girls. Who doesn’t want to be seen as brave, determined and modest? Disney should be applauded for giving women certain personalities in a man’s world. There’s not a better way to show girl power than defying the odds.