Disney: To be a Young Woman

863 Words2 Pages

To be a Young Woman (according to Disney)
Since Disney first introduced Snow White from the film Snow White and the Seven Dwarves back in 1937, the definition of what it means to be a young woman has been hugely influenced by Walt Disney Studios princesses. From the hair and the dresses to the demeanor and poise, Disney princesses have been showing girls of all ages how a woman should look and act, if she wants to have a happy life and find the perfect husband. Being constantly fed the seemingly ‘ideal’ image of beauty since their youth; most girls feel a need to strive to that level of beauty in order for them to feel accepted in society, and confident in themselves. According to researcher Dawn England, “The princesses in the first three Disney Princess movies were frequently affectionate, helpful, troublesome, fearful, tentative, and described as pretty” (England).Focusing in on the three original Disney princesses, Snow White, Cinderella, and Aurora from Sleeping Beauty, according to those three princesses what it means to be a young woman is to have unrealistic physical beauty, be dependent on a man, and be submissive and obedient.
The Disney princesses’ unrealistic level of beauty can be seen in the artist portrayal of each princess. In the article, "The Mixed Blessings Of Disney's Classic Fairy Tales" Asma Ayob talks about how the princesses’ are created, “Snow White and Cinderella are presented as beautiful archetypal princesses who are ideally perfect. With the advent of the film, and the animators’ ability to create flawless bodies, this type of female attractiveness, which can be compared to “air-brushing” models on the covers of popular magazines, is a hard act to follow” (Ayob). The ‘hard act to follow’, has been t...

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...llier-Meek. "Gender Role Portrayal And The Disney Princesses." Sex Roles 64.7/8 (2011): 555-567. OmniFile Full Text Select (H.W. Wilson). Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
"Marry The Prince Or Stay With Family—That Is The Question: A Perspective Of Young Korean Immigrant Girls On Disney Marriages In The United States." Australasian Journal Of Early Childhood 34.2 (2009): 39-46. OmniFile Full Text Select (H.W. Wilson). Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
Rozario, Rebecca-Anne C. Do. "The Princess And The Magic Kingdom: Beyond Nostalgia, The Function Of The Disney Princess." Women's Studies In Communication 27.1 (2004): 34-59. OmniFile Full Text Select (H.W. Wilson). Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
Whelan, Bridget1. "Power To The Princess: Disney And The Creation Of The 20Th Century Princess Narrative." Interdisciplinary Humanities 29.1 (2012): 21-34. OmniFile Full Text Select (H.W. Wilson). Web. 14 Apr. 2014.

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