We all have a favourite Disney princess – admit it. They were the backdrop of our childhood and some films resonated with us more than others. I always loved ‘Sleeping Beauty’ but the Disney princess I found the most in common with was Belle. She was an avid book reader with a huge imagination and then she married a guy with the biggest home library I’ve ever seen, for me it’s a no brainer. I often wonder how I managed to marry a non-reader though, God’s design I suppose…
Anyway, the point I was making was that as little girls we watched these movies until we knew them, and the lyrics to all the songs, off by heart. And in truth, there isn’t anything wrong with these movies. What I take issue with is that way that the marketing machine now portrays these characters and how it affects little girls like my four and two year olds.
The characters wear a lot of bling now, their dresses are extremely ornate and their poses seem a little too mature for their intended audience. Come hither looks and a particular focus on superficial beauty seem imbued in their message now. I thought the whole point of the fairy tales they were in was to show that its inner beauty that makes you a good person, not outer appearances.
Little girls like to dress up and pretend to be princesses. There’s nothing wrong with this, but I want my daughters to understand that they already are princesses!
Mark Hart, the self-confessed ‘Bible Geek’ and author of ‘Blessed are the Bored in Spirit’ posted this on his Facebook page last year and it’s a great way of addressing the whole princess concept:
My 5 year old, “Daddy, can I be a princess?”
Me: “You already are a princess… You sleep like Aurora, sing like Ariel, read like Belle, brush your hair like Rapunzel, eat fruit like Snow White, and are really into shoes like Cinderella. But, most importantly, you belong to the King of Kings.”
Her: “Ya, that’s what I figured.”
Too cute right? But he’s spot on! I want my daughters to realise they are princesses of substance and that their being co-heirs with Christ means that their kingdom is out of this world, literally.
That is why I love the idea of ‘Princess Parties’ as promoted on the Veggie Tales DVD ‘Sweet Pea Beauty’ which is all about the biblical meaning of beauty but presented in a fun way for children. One of their features shows a princess party where little girls dress up as princesses and enjoy a tea party where they celebrate being a Princess of God, co-heir with Christ.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the Disney princess marketing machine marketed real beauty? Real inner beauty instead of superficiality. Wouldn’t it be nice if their marketing was not at odds with the characters depicted in their movies?
A little while ago I made up some rough sketches of ways in which I would like to some of the princesses portrayed. I came across them again recently and decided to tidy them up, and add a few new ones as well.
So here they are:
What do you think? And how would you like to see them portrayed?
Originally posted 2014-09-15 22:51:18.
Do you really want your daughters to feel as though their sense of value derives from their maternity? I hope your beautiful daughters grow up to be ambitious and independent women.