In the present, Moana and Elsa might be taking the forefront when it comes to Disney women. They are obviously strong, independent characters that send out positive messages to the audience. However, Disney’s women characters weren’t always so progressive. The original Disney Princesses, which originated with Snow White, bring out some damaging messages, which can be quite harmful for kids who look up to them.

From the physical appearance to the so-called dreams and wishes, these princesses fall short of being empowering, as they tend to be portrayed as fragile women who succumb to the social norms set by the patriarchal system. Yet again, it is hard to walk past these princesses, as they played a huge role in the lives of a specific generation. That is why a change in their stories through remakes might be a better route. Here are the reasons as to why these princesses need to be changed.

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Unrealistic Body Images

     Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

One feature that is very common in all the original princesses is that they have a slim figure with a tiny waist and a long neck. These body images are not only unrealistic, but they are also quite unhealthy. These cartoons tend to emphasize heavily on the physical image of the princesses by comparing them to the “ugly” villains. For example, in The Little Mermaid, the protagonist, Ariel, has a slim body, while the antagonist, Ursula, is fat, and thus, “ugly”. We also see the characters, themselves, heavily focusing on their images by spending a great deal of time in front of the mirror, or by crying over not having the perfect gown for the ball. As Tarannum very correctly points out, “Not only do a lot of these movies completely throw out the idea of body positivity, but they also set a wrong impression about the importance of beauty.”

In order to change these negative impressions, casting actors with realistic body images and not portraying villains as “ugly” due to them being fat, is important. Of course, Disney is now correcting these errors by portraying better-looking villains in their own movies like Maleficient. However, the question is whether this is enough to alter negative body images, as we are yet to see remakes of Disney princesses with more realistic bodies.

Their Ideas of Love are Toxic

     RKO Radio Pictures

Another common element that we see in almost all these stories is that the Princess ends up with a Prince. There are so many reasons as to why this sends out harmful messages. One key reason for this is that all these princesses are quite young. Almost all of these princesses married before they turned twenty, with Snow White being the youngest to marry, at the age of 14. This imposes the idea that marriage is the biggest goal that girls should have. Snow White keeps on repeating “some day my prince will come”, and this might sound charming when sung, but it breaks down the self-esteem of young girls, as the lesson they learn is to be dependent, and expect someone to save them. Thus, the damsel in distress image is created with young girls never dreaming of being the hero in their own lives.

Another disastrous portrayal, is the way in which these princesses “fall in love”. We see that Aurora marries the man who kisses her un-consensually, and the same fate is seen in Snow White’s story. Belle in Beauty and the Beast ends up marrying the beast after he becomes a prince. Thus, these princesses not only marry people that violate them, but they also marry them simply because they are wealthy or famous.

Mulan might be one rare exception, as we see Mulan returning home to her father and being the hero of the story. Yet again, she is also given a man to help her.

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Does Not Reflect the Modern Empowerment of Women

Not a single original Disney princess attends school or university. None of them pursued any careers, nor do they have any ambitions. This shows how these princesses are not suitable for young girls, as they do not illustrate any form of empowerment. Changing the storylines and the ambitions of these princesses to showcase them as more empowering will definitely preserve the original stories, while adding the much-needed twist.