Is Beauty Is Everything?

Young girls that are inspired to have this "Disney princess effect" are not growing up to be strong, independent women that are motivated to change something in the world. In many of the Disney princess movies for example, The 1991 film, Beauty and the Beast, shows how women are not supposed to be intelligent, but should focus on fulfilling a man's needs. This has an impact on how a girl views her female position in the world.

In today’s society it is hard to find shows or movies that have positive values for boys and girls. There is a lot of controversy surrounding Disney princesses. Many believe that they negatively impact girls and their view on the world. They believe that young girls are learning negative values from the Disney princesses. On the other hand, many people believe that the Disney princesses have many positive morals and values to teach young girls. Disney teaches young girls value of hard work. It also teaches girls how they should treat people, even in difficult situations. One of the greatest things that Disney princesses teach, is find out who you are and shoot for the stars and accomplish your dreams.

Now-a-days, you can’t find appropriate clothing for your children because all stores are selling short-shorts and crop tops for 12-year-olds. This issue is contradicting; girls are being sexualized by being told not to wear clothes that show their skin, yet the only clothes that are currently being sold are clothes that only sexualize girls even more by showing too much skin that doesn’t fit their age group. Orenstein also argues that, “ For today’s girls, sexy appearance has been firmly conflated with strong womanhood.” Meaning, instead of having a princess birthday party at the park, preschoolers are now having mani-pedi spa birthday parties; or how the Elementary school cheer dance routine is more provocative; or when 9-year-olds are taught “all the ticks of beauty.” In our defence, when society depicts young women as sexual objects, they make young girls think that their beauty is more important than their brains(hence the reason why you can easily mistake a 13-year-old for a

Did anyone realize that all of the Disney princesses have a waistline that is smaller than the span of their eyes? Throughout all generations, Disney princesses have acted as major role models in young girl's lives. However, are these female characters negatively influencing how these young girls reflect on themselves? Ideals taught at young ages, often continue with them as they grow into adulthood. Therefore, Disney should replace passive princesses with strong and realistic female roles.

The effects of the portrayal of the princesses can be positive or negative. Young girls have become more imaginative by watching Disney films. According to Stephanie Hanes (n.p.), “’For 75 years, millions of little girls and their parents around the world have adored and embraced the diverse characters and rich stories featuring our Disney princesses.... [L]ittle girls experience the fantasy and imagination provided by these stories as a normal part of their childhood development’.” Also, children are encouraged to believe and hope. In most Disney movies, the characters convey the message that we can believe in true love (10 DISNEY MOMENTS THAT PROVE LOVE IS ALIVE AND WELL

To begin his article, James Poniewozik describes how parents try and try again in order to cause their young daughter to not want to become a princess. However, Poniewozik says that all the hard work fails when on one halloween that same young daughter desires to be a princess. Poniewozik then describes how Hollywood is beginning to discover this. They have produced countless movies that attract young girls. These movies, without a doubt, are fairy-tale movies says Poniewozik. However, it is not just the princess aspect that Hollywood focuses on declares Poniewozik. He essentially concludes his article that Hollywood has changed the princesses’ expectations from being pretty and reliant upon the prince to becoming independent, while maintaining her beauty.

The “princesses” in Disney movies, if looked at their life from a realistic point of view, should not have been this happy. Most of them were very naive. They had no hope, no ambition, and no plans in life except to marry “Prince Charming”, a guy who would save them and she would take care of his house and his babies till she died. That is just sad. Is this all what women are good

But Orenstein, among other parents, believes these Disney products are affecting young girls negatively, and suggests that this potentially damaging social issue is not being responsibly managed as the Princess franchise grows. In a survey reported by Girls Inc., an overwhelming amount of school-age girls who grew up in the presence of the very feminine Disney princesses felt pressured be “perfect” (Orenstein 329). And why would they not feel that way? Disney is a master at developing alluring visuals and entrancing soundtracks, and then strategically targeting them to audiences through the use of powerful marketing campaigns. Disney Princesses have almost perfect fairytale bodies, beautifully colored clothing, and storyline lifestyles that young girls have come to envy. But that is not the case for princesses such as Pocahontas and Mulan. These princesses, who are arguably the most realistic-looking and normal of the bunch, are rarely seen in Princess merchandise. Orenstein’s theory is that Disney exploits only certain princesses through strong merchandising and marketing because certain princesses have outfits and accessories that are more glamorous and lucrative than

Little girls? Or little women? The “Disney Princess Effect”, an article written by Stephanie Hanes was published September 4, 2011 the CS Monitor. Girls growing up in today’s society are being stripped of their childhoods. With fictional figures to dream of being, young girls aren’t falling in love with the beauty of the stories but more so they assume that they don’t look good enough to be like the world adored princesses. The author wrote this article in response to the epidemic of young girls growing up too fast and the concern it leaves. Between the Finucane Theory, the “Hottie Mystique” and the media onslaught will all reveal the beginning to a much bigger problem that these Disney princesses are creating. The author contends that young girls are losing sight of their childhoods and are becoming sexually advanced too soon.

As a young girl I imagined what it would be like to be a woman, Disney princesses had very little influence on this reality. Stephanie Hanes, the author of “Little Girls or Little Women? The Disney Princess Effect,” discusses how little girls feel they must grow up too soon. There are several other women introduced throughout her essay whom share similar thoughts. Moms all over the world may have varying opinions on this subject; however, the women that Stephanie chose to display in her work, at least the majority of them, agree that Disney princesses might be the culprit of this behavior. There are a few brief statements that acknowledge that not everyone agrees with the idea that Disney princesses are causing this phenomenon. There are

For decades now, Disney Corporation has been providing us with countless films made to delight and amuse children and adults alike. But not all Disney films seem particularly appropriate for their target audience. Many of these films portray violence, gender inequality, and skewed views of leadership roles that seem altogether inappropriate for impressionable young children. Better and more contemporary heroines need to be added to Disney’s wall of princesses in order to counteract years of sexism.

What young girl does not dream of becoming a princess and living in a castle happily ever after? Virtually every young girl identifies with princesses and has watched at least one Disney Princess movie. From the first movies of Snow White and Cinderella, to the later movies of The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, to the most current movie Moana, Disney Princess movies permeate not only the movie theaters, but also our culture. In fact, “becoming a princess is as easy as purchasing a tiara and hosting a princess-themed birthday party or buying a Halloween costume and playing pretend” (Garabedian, 2014, p. 23). Nonetheless, as declared by Princess Merida in the movie Brave, “there comes a day when I don’t have to be a princess. No rules, no expectations. A day where anything can happen. A day where I can change my fate” (Andrews & Chapman, 2012). In other words, does the life of a princess measure up to the expectations of little girls everywhere? The Disney Princess brand has grown incredibly popular, especially with young girls. In spite of this, the franchise has also become extremely controversial due to potential gender stereotypes in the films. “Gender is one of the most discussed topics in today’s society…[it] represents and also reproduces certain attributes, expectations and roles which are associated with male and female…influencing the views and opinions of future generations” (Maity, 2014, p. 31). Yet, is the Disney Princess brand harmful to young children due to gender stereotypes? Two essays that contemplate the Disney Princess brand and gender stereotypes with opposite viewpoints on this controversial issue are “Girls on Film: The Real Problem with the Disney Princess Brand” by writer Monika Bartyzel and “In Defense of Princess Culture” by writer and mother Crystal Liechty. However, Liechty’s essay “In Defense of Princess Culture,” is the most effective article in convincing the audience of her point of view due to the claim, support, warrant, language, and vocabulary employed.

According to various articles, although the Disney Princesses seem to be an innocent form of entertainment for young girls, their overall messages serve as a negative influence on how they develop into adults. This is where the unrealistic Disney Princess aspect can potentially become detrimental.

influences around them. The role models would impart on the young girls the necessary standards to compare themselves to learn their intrinsic worth and fight the opinion that women are inferior to men. Many times they look to the media for such influences. Disney princesses have for decades been the representation little girls see; however, not all of them are positive. The Disney Princess brand is broken down into three generations, or waves. The first generation, including Snow White, Cinderella, and Aurora, perpetuate sexism because they teach young girls that their value lies in their beauty and their relationship with a man. The second wave

Often times, women are pressured by the mainstream media to upkeep a stellar appearance. They are expected to measure up to high standards without question. Even before most girls reach puberty, commercials are bombarding them with small Barbie esque makeup kits filled with lip glosses and chalky eyeshadows. The impact it has on impressionable children, both girls and boys is something that will likely last a lifetime if unlearned. Cosmetic companies who are marketing to young ladies say they can simply improve their looks to gain acceptance from their peers if they use the products they are selling. The makeup industry is a multi million enterprise that makes a profit from women’s insecurities and amplified pressures from society as a common tactic many cosmetic campaigns use is to push women to embrace the ‘natural look’ by providing products that will make it appear as if the individual is not even wearing makeup. Companies will spout out that with these products, the end result will be ‘you, but better.’ It is somewhat of an underlying and slightly manipulating slogan, as if to say how a woman appears could be improved because it is lacking in the moment. This distorts how we all believe how a woman is suppose to look.