Less Analysis, More Action

I feel like in a class like ours, where we are supposed to analyze content, we have made ourselves aware of many social issues raised in the media. But I think we are reacting by what we know we are supposed to say. It is easy to point out how the princesses set really high expectations of how girls should look or act. But I guarantee that we are not the only age group noticing these problems. So why aren’t things getting changing? Because these stereotypes and expectations work. We aren’t comfortable yet breaking the status quo.

I asked a couple women that if they were to be animators for the next Disney Princess-type movie, what would the princess look like. One mentioned that there needs to be a Hispanic princess, because there isn’t one yet. The other was much more traditional approach (not that different from Belle in my opinion). But neither said that the princess should have a bit bigger or body type. I asked if there should be a “chubby princess”. They said no, it might send the wrong message to girls. I found it very interesting that they would say this when just a couple days ago they were talking about the unrealistic beauty expectations TV shows amplify.

So fellow classmates I challenge you to take the lessons we learn from this class, and apply them. Don’t be afraid to make an ugly princess (that isn’t the point of the story). As the next generation, we have to stop analyzing, and start doing. But it’s a thin line to walk. I have noticed the emergence of a new character type. The “anti-stereotype-stereotype”. I think we have such motivation to change things that we go to the extreme and put them at the opposite end of the spectrum immediately. But the flaw is that we acknowledge that they break the stereotype through dialogue or plot. I think this only reinforces those stereotypes. So be careful.