I don't wanna be a . . . Disney girl?

by Movie Editor Courtney Bowerman

For this editorial, I was inspired by Pink's wonderful new hit single, "Stupid Girls." I like it because it rings true to how society seems to glorify the spoiled starlets of today. Come on, do we really want girls growing up idolizing Paris Hilton? So anyway, I got thinking about other "role models" for young girls, and then I started thinking about the animated female characters of Disney. Some of them are considered the most unrealistic of women, and not just because they look thin.

I remember that one of the staff members of my high school newspaper wrote an editorial about how much the Disney girls disgusted her. While I must admit that she had some valid points concerning their appearance (i.e. they're all beautiful and thin), I don't think all of them deserve so much criticism. In fact, when you compare more "modern" ones (I say "modern" because Disney hasn't made a decent animated film in years, aside from Pixar) to the ones of the past, they've actually evolved quite a bit.

Let's take a look at the more popular--or most advertised--Disney animated women:

Snow White - Yes, she was first and one of the sweetest Disney princesses, but when it comes to brains, she comes up short. As a runaway fleeing her evil stepmother, you'd think she'd be a bit more wary of trusting strangers, let alone a sinister-looking old woman! And believing that tripe about the "magic wishing apple"? Come ON!!! And on a related note, didn't anyone find it a bit creepy that the prince kissed her when she was supposedly dead? Maybe it was a sign of love and respect, but if you tried that at a funeral today, people would think you're a necrophile.

Cinderella - Okay, let's forget for a moment that she married the prince less than 24 hours after she had met him. Aside from all that, she did behave with dignity as she was made a slave in her own house. Any other girl in her place would have whined about how badly her stepmother and stepsisters treated her, but except for the part after they destroy that pink dress she was going to wear to the ball, she keeps a stiff upper lip throughout most of the movie, which is very admirable.

Sleeping Beauty (a.k.a. Briar Rose/Aurora) - I really don't have much to say about her, because the title speaks for itself. The only part of the movie when she wasn't comatose was when she was singing with the animals, dancing with the prince in the forest, and oh yeah, her melodramatic reaction to finding out that she's really royalty and she's engaged a guy she thinks that she has never met. There's not a lot of personality here, folks. Also, my previous comment regarding the whole necrophile thing in Snow White doesn't extend to the prince in this one because he actually knew about the spell.

The Little Mermaid - I know Ariel's gotten a lot of flack over the years; in one of Meg Cabot's books, she is regarded as "a feminist's worst nightmare because she abandoned her own species to secure a man." Like that makes her different than the previous characters? When you really think about it, Ariel is actually a step up from them. Even if it was only in the first part of the movie, she saved a guy's life. I think she was the first Disney heroine in history to save the prince instead of the other way around. Yes, she can come off as silly and immature, but so is almost every other sixteen year old girl in the United States. As for her being so skinny, most of the sea creatures in the movie both talk and help out in many situations, so merpeople couldn't eat them? Therefore, what do they eat? Maybe they eat plankton and seaweed, which would explain their dubious waistlines.

Belle (from Beauty and the Beast)- Belle is the one Disney princess I could relate to most. She liked books, she didn't have the golden looks most Disney princess before her had, and she couldn't stand that ***hole Gaston. I knew two guys in high school that were just like him. Not only was she intelligent, she was also was the first Disney girl that didn't fall in love at first sight. She wasn't willing to put up with the Beast bossing her around, which is a good message to those that are in destructive relationships. Yes, she did stay with him, but only because he got hurt trying to save her life. What's most important is that she fell in love with the Beast before he changed into the handsome prince. So all in all, Belle is a good role model for girls. And her gold dress? Gorgeous.

Jasmine (from Aladdin)- Another step in the right direction. You know in the first version of the movie, Jasmine was kind of a spoiled brat, so thank goodness she changed into the defiant, independent character most of us admire. Even though she and Aladdin fell in love in a period of roughly three days, it took two other movies and a TV series for them to actually tie the knot. This just goes to show you that there’s nothing wrong with a long engagement.

Pocahontas - Again, it was a refreshing change of seeing the female save the male. Still--and it must be said--everything in that movie is a big fat lie. The real Pocahontas was twelve years old when she met John Smith, so unless he was a pedophile, there was no romance. And according to my sixth grade teacher, her tribe wouldn't have permitted her to have such long, lovely hair; it would have been cut real short since it was their custom, although I'm not really sure. More research may be in order.

Mulan - Belle and Jasmine might have set the stage for the independent woman, but Mulan kicked that "damsel in distress" sterotype all the way out of the film reel. The staff member I mentioned earlier stated in her article that no Chinese girl would have acted so "disrespectfully." Even though it was illegal to disguise as a soldier, what's not to respect? She kicks butt and saves the kingdom! It's a good message to girls that they achieve anything if they put their mind to it.

So in conclusion, while some Disney women aren't the best role models for girls, on the whole, they inspire a positive message. Think twice before mocking all of them.

And while I have the chance, I beg of you: STOP BUYING THE CRAPPY DISNEY SEQUELS!!!! Seriously, I have seen plans to make a third sequel to Cinderella and The Little Mermaid, and a Fox and the Hound 2. Do we really need this?! Go to a freaking bookstore and get some new ideas, Disney!