I'm the first to admit I've always held a deep suspicion towards Disney's princess monopoly. I've always believed it was a ploy to get little girls to wear Disney clothing, hold Disney parties, and just buy more Disney everything. I've never approved of the damsel in distress aspect of Disney's princess theme, and always felt they portrayed women as evil matrons and girls as helpless and hapless.
More recently they've taken the theme, left many of damsels behind, and somewhat re-crafted their image of what a princess is even if she's not technically always a princess. And, as is the case in Brave and Tangled, even when she is a princess the girls are no pushover simply waiting for a prince to rescue them from their fate; they're clever, crafty and self-sufficient, even when men are involved.
Disney's new, "I Am A Princess" video delivers us from Disney's cloying princess past altogether. While the girls are all attractive, as you would expect any actor in any promotional video to be, they are also budding scientists, rockers, archers, and athletes. They're confident, intelligent, and honorable. They appear to all be real girls, without any of the gaudy toddler-pageant make-up one might associate with Disney and its cartoon heroines.
Things are changing. Yes, Disney is still marketing to girls. No, we haven't really seen "princesses" that are anything other than beautiful and slim and beautiful. But are girls not worthy of being marketed to? Do we see ever see males that aren't muscular or square-jawed? I think they're getting very close to unobjectionable territory here. They may have a ways to go in some regards, and clearly not everyone has the same fondness for animated storytelling as I do, or exempts Disney from criticism on some level as I might due to pure nostalgia, but you have to admit for a corporation who's job is entertainment and marketing (or marketing through entertainment) things are finally getting better for princesses. They ask questions but are clearly able to formulate their own conclusions. They create and develop their own personae, albeit with Disney's help. And they're clearly able to be whomever they choose with nary a boy or man to interfere. What else could you want for your princess?
