Opinion: We Need More Traditional Black Disney Princesses
I just watched a video by Lily Lee, a Korean vlogger with a Kenyan husband and two adorable, smart girls, in which her oldest daughter, Yuri, refuses to play with a Doc McStuffins doll in favor of a Sofia the First princess doll.
Yuri goes on to claim she wants "to be yellow, just like Mommy." Lily brings up a very good point, that while there are some dolls that resemble her brown-skinned, curly-haired daughters, none of them are Disney princesses. And that means something.
"Disney is like a dream world for little girls. They dream in Disney, and they fantasize in Disney," Lily says, while bemoaning the lack of a curly-haired, brown-skinned Disney princess.
I had always believed it important for children to be exposed to dolls of many ethnicities, and especially important for children of color to have access to dolls that resemble themselves. However, until she brought this up, I had never thought of the potential specific importance of black Disney princesses.
Let me clarify. I believed it would be good for Disney to come out with more black protagonists. However, I never drew a distinction between protagonists such as Cinderella, Tiana, and Belle, versus those such as Merida, Moana, and Mulan. The difference between these groups of protagonists is that while big, beautiful dresses and getting gussied up are integral in some aspect to the characters and story (and/or merchandising) of the first group, they are not to the second.
Disney is moving away from the girly princesses of old and moving toward more strong female protagonists. I had only considered the positive consequences. Young women need to have their independence encouraged rather than waiting for a prince to kiss them and set them free. Young women need characters like Doc McStuffins to normalize STEM and other male-dominated fields. Children need to know their gender does not inherently inhibit them from pursuing certain interests.
However, the U.S. maintains a culture in which little girls are encouraged to like certain things. I won't go into nature versus nurture, but either way, little girls often like pretty princesses. Especially the holy grail that is the Disney princess.
"My girls, at that young age, think dolls with more beautiful dresses look prettier," Lily says.
There is Tiana. Lily, however, says that her kids "cannot really identify with [her]" or other colored protagonists who more closely align with the typical princess character, such as Jasmine. Tiana is portrayed with slightly wavy hair that is always kept up in some manner. A character like Moana, who has luscious waves and tanned skin not too far from the shade of Lily's daughters, does not fit the princess archetype.
Disney's African American princess has nearly straight hair. Their curliest-haired princess is Scottish. And their curliest-haired, darkest-skinned, popular female protagonist is not a princess.
Other black princess dolls do exist. But as Lily implies, there is something special about those from Disney. Anyone can make a princess doll, but Disney is still the pinnacle of the princess market.
I do not know if Disney as an organization has realized this as a predicament. How do they go about creating strong female protagonists and focusing on their accomplishments rather than their appearance and wardrobe... while still promoting them as beautiful and fashionable? They've already found the way to not do it, with Merida: Have an awesome, independent character who takes her life into her own hands, and then shove her in a pretty dress she'd hate in order to sell her.
I am not a fan of the "strong, black woman" stereotype. The... er, "positive" stereotypes of black women being strong and independent (traits Disney loves for their newer princesses) align with the negative stereotype of us being masculine. I would love to see a black female protagonist with curly hair who is smart and capable, but deceivingly beautiful and feminine. As opposed to a Badass Princess like Merida, I'd like to see a Silk Hiding Steel character, with tight curls and a beautiful gown.
People already know black women can be strong. I hope the next black or part-black protagonist Disney chooses to feature will show our beauty as well.
Any opinions on the direction Disney should take?
~Decchan
Edit: I let Lily know I wrote this blog and she shared it on her Facebook! Thank you so much Lily, and hello and welcome to people coming from her page!
Yuri goes on to claim she wants "to be yellow, just like Mommy." Lily brings up a very good point, that while there are some dolls that resemble her brown-skinned, curly-haired daughters, none of them are Disney princesses. And that means something.
"Disney is like a dream world for little girls. They dream in Disney, and they fantasize in Disney," Lily says, while bemoaning the lack of a curly-haired, brown-skinned Disney princess.
I had always believed it important for children to be exposed to dolls of many ethnicities, and especially important for children of color to have access to dolls that resemble themselves. However, until she brought this up, I had never thought of the potential specific importance of black Disney princesses.
Let me clarify. I believed it would be good for Disney to come out with more black protagonists. However, I never drew a distinction between protagonists such as Cinderella, Tiana, and Belle, versus those such as Merida, Moana, and Mulan. The difference between these groups of protagonists is that while big, beautiful dresses and getting gussied up are integral in some aspect to the characters and story (and/or merchandising) of the first group, they are not to the second.
Disney is moving away from the girly princesses of old and moving toward more strong female protagonists. I had only considered the positive consequences. Young women need to have their independence encouraged rather than waiting for a prince to kiss them and set them free. Young women need characters like Doc McStuffins to normalize STEM and other male-dominated fields. Children need to know their gender does not inherently inhibit them from pursuing certain interests.
However, the U.S. maintains a culture in which little girls are encouraged to like certain things. I won't go into nature versus nurture, but either way, little girls often like pretty princesses. Especially the holy grail that is the Disney princess.
"My girls, at that young age, think dolls with more beautiful dresses look prettier," Lily says.
There is Tiana. Lily, however, says that her kids "cannot really identify with [her]" or other colored protagonists who more closely align with the typical princess character, such as Jasmine. Tiana is portrayed with slightly wavy hair that is always kept up in some manner. A character like Moana, who has luscious waves and tanned skin not too far from the shade of Lily's daughters, does not fit the princess archetype.
Disney's African American princess has nearly straight hair. Their curliest-haired princess is Scottish. And their curliest-haired, darkest-skinned, popular female protagonist is not a princess.
Other black princess dolls do exist. But as Lily implies, there is something special about those from Disney. Anyone can make a princess doll, but Disney is still the pinnacle of the princess market.
I do not know if Disney as an organization has realized this as a predicament. How do they go about creating strong female protagonists and focusing on their accomplishments rather than their appearance and wardrobe... while still promoting them as beautiful and fashionable? They've already found the way to not do it, with Merida: Have an awesome, independent character who takes her life into her own hands, and then shove her in a pretty dress she'd hate in order to sell her.
I am not a fan of the "strong, black woman" stereotype. The... er, "positive" stereotypes of black women being strong and independent (traits Disney loves for their newer princesses) align with the negative stereotype of us being masculine. I would love to see a black female protagonist with curly hair who is smart and capable, but deceivingly beautiful and feminine. As opposed to a Badass Princess like Merida, I'd like to see a Silk Hiding Steel character, with tight curls and a beautiful gown.
People already know black women can be strong. I hope the next black or part-black protagonist Disney chooses to feature will show our beauty as well.
Any opinions on the direction Disney should take?
~Decchan
Edit: I let Lily know I wrote this blog and she shared it on her Facebook! Thank you so much Lily, and hello and welcome to people coming from her page!
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