Disney Princesses and the Battle for Your Daughter’s Soul

Last edited Fri Dec 16, 2011, 10:53 AM - Edit history (1)

This princess mania, many argue, leaves girls all mixed up: while they excel in school and outpace their male peers in science and math, they also obsess about Prince Charming and who has the prettiest dress, learning—from a mix of mass marketing and media—not that girls are strong, smart, or creative, but that each is a little princess of her own, judged by the beauty of her face (and gown). Just think about the fairy tales themselves: Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White—all pitted against evil, ugly old women (read: age = awfulness), waiting for the prince they’ve never met to fall for their beauty (not smarts) and rescue them from misery. In The Little Mermaid, Ariel literally trades in her voice for the chance a man she’s never met will love her in return.

Orenstein’s own daughter didn’t start out princess-obsessed. Daisy marched into her first day of preschool in Berkeley, Calif., in her favorite pinstriped overalls and carrying a Thomas the Tank Engine lunchbox. (Gender-neutrality success!) But it would be less than a month before the now-7-year-old would scream as her mother tried to wrestle her into pants, begging for a “real princess dress” with matching plastic high heels. Suddenly, as if on princess steroids, Orenstein began noticing princess mania at every turn: Daisy’s classmates—even one with two mothers—showed up to school in princess outfits. The supermarket checkout woman addressed her daughter with “Hi, Princess.” She found her daughter lying on the floor at a bat mitzvah, surrounded by a group of boys, waiting for her “prince” to come and wake her

Orenstein knew there was something about this she didn’t like. Frilly dresses? Waiting for Prince Charming? Isn’t that a retrograde role model? One would think—but as it turns out, it’s harder than it sounds to find the science to back up that notion. So instead, Orenstein decided to head to the front lines of this girl culture herself—observing the world of gyrating pretweens at a Miley Cyrus concert, the powdered pop tarts of the child-pageant circuit, an American Girl store, a toy fair, and, last, Disney, whose princess line of merchandise has become the largest franchise on the planet for girls ages 2 to 6. What she learned? “It’s not that princesses can’t expand girls’ imaginations,” Orenstein explains. “But in today’s culture, princess starts to turn into something else. It’s not just being the fairest of them all, it’s being the hottest of them all, the most Paris Hilton of them all, the most Kim Kardashian of them all.” Translation: shallow, narcissistic, slutty.

Much of Orenstein’s territory is well trod (there are only so many times you can hear about toddlers and beauty pageants, or the outrage over sexy Bratz dolls). But the way she sees it, there is one very big thing that separates Daisy’s generation from those who came before her—and it’s called mass marketing. Disney alone has 26,000 Disney princess items on the market today, part of a $4 billion-a-year franchise that is the fastest-growing brand the company has ever created. “What these companies will tell you is that girls want this, so they give it to them,” says Orenstein. But for girls who don’t want to play with pink princess toys, there’s virtually no other option.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2011/01/26/disney-princesses-and-the-battle-for-your-daughter-s-soul.html
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i had my 4 yr old niece'ish over at my house for 3 hours yesterday. this girl and i have battled over the princess stuff, generally in good humor. her father (not married to mom and living elsewhere) is continually pumping princess into her head and he is her prince(?). she doesnt have to clean her room because she is a princess. we went thru her purse and there was a little ariel. on 2nd, 3rd, 4th glance i noticed ariel had some boob job. wtf? i moved ariels hand, holding a mirror in front of her face, to see if i was seeing what i was seeing. huge ass tits with shells looking like pasties. when did disney change little small chested ariel? after conversation i found out was on her cake so probably a china made, not disney. this girl spent 3 hours always directing conversation to looks. a picture in her book had all the pictures of ariel and friends asking which was most like her. all she could do is tell me who she liked the looks of best. the only blonde and blue eyed out of 8. this little girl is half mexican and huge, beautiful brown eyes and br hair.

not one conversation that was not about girls roles in her looks. i was concerned. talked to hubby and boys last night. i have had four nieces around a lot and only one was like this. the mama of this girl. the other three did not behave like this. one was very girly girl and didn't behave like this. later in the night son brought it up again. talking to this little girl about this. how i always talked to boys like adults about all things. little girl may not be used to it. we realized i discussed johnny bravo and gi joes physique with boys when they were about that age. so not liek i didnt do the same with mine.

i have never raised girls. what is your experience in raising girls. i have heard of this with girls, but havent seen it.