Disney is known for its princess films. Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping beauty etc. All filled with songs, animals, princes, villans and of course a princess who needs saving. Yet recently these stereotypes in disney films have changed, for the better.
Tangled, an animated film, focuses on Rapunzel, a curious princess who throughout the adventure finds out who she is and saves the ‘prince’. Yes the typical love story is there but the story is more about Rapunzel gaining independence and finding her family rather than just about her finding her prince.
This evolution is taken even further in ‘Frozen’, a story based on the ice queen. This story is about sisterly love and reinforces the idea that women don’t need men to love them. True love can exist between families and women can be the heroine instead of the damsel in distress.
It may seem like a trivial thing but having these films gives young girls a different outlook on their role in life. No longer are women hopeless and need men to survive: instead family bonds can see them through and they can fend for themselves. I personally like this new development and hope it continues, disney princesses are always a part of a young girls childhood, let’s give them strong characters to pretend to be rather than simple damsels I distress. Hopefully these girls can grow up to be strong independent women.
Thoughts of a Millennial 