Petition: 'Make Plus-Size Princesses In Disney Movies!'

[AlexLovesCats]

As a little girl I remember sometimes being envious of the princesses. But not ever for the way they looked. I wished I could be a mermaid and swim all day like Ariel, or be as brave as Pocohantas, or be as kind as Belle.

I really think that little girls are more enamored by the personalities of the princesses and what they achieve in their story. They aren't thinking about how their body looks in comparison to a cartoon character in a movie unless they have a pretty severe insecurity brought on from something else in their lives.

I really feel that if a little girl has grown up hearing from loved ones that she is beautiful how she is then she won't feel inferior when watching a cartoon movie.

If changes are to be made anywhere regarding this issue with Disney then it should be in Disney shows with kid/teen actors in them. Kids tend to compare themselves to kids their own age on TV, especially ones they see as popular or attractive in the show. I do feel like Disney does a good job at casting all types of kids in their Disney channel shows.

 

[old lady]

Looks are not everything.

 

[TooExcitedCantSleep]

Haha! This girl was on the Today Show this morning----just a few seconds ago! NBC/Comcast quit yer hatin' on Disney! She now has over 30,000 signatures and was also featured on Fox News. This means we will not see a plus sized princess now that Comcast/NBC has decided to get involved....like they really care about this girl's feelings. I'm indifferent.....I don't care about princesses dress size as long as their story is good and she looks nice. Now....the public and what sells may be different.

 

[ldymcbth]

I think a plus-size princess would be great. A better start, though, would be eliminating size-based negative comments on some of the Disney shows like Jessie, ANT Farm, etc. Those shows are targeted at kids who are the perfect age to be taught NOT to bully, NOT to make harmful comments about weight, etc., and yet the number of times someone overweight is insulted or used as a punch line...

This thread is full of some really hateful comments about those who are overweight. I hope those of you on your high horses never have to take a medication that causes weight gain, or develop a metabolic syndrome that causes you to pile weight on even though you eat less than anyone in your family, or suffer an injury that keeps you from being active and makes you gain some weight, etc.

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

It's not just Disney that has found the formula for what sells. Take a look at Strawberry Shortcake.....

Original:

Update:

Strawberry Shortcake was a perfectly reasonable character in the 1980s and reflected the cultural demand at that time. She has been re-imagined to conform with what sells today. If there was a market demand for a more plump version of the character, the character would reflect that.

 

[North of Mouse]

I have struggled with weight issues regarding meds and metabolism, but through constantly battling it I keep a healthy weight. It's not so much 'how' you look (even though it does for my self image personally), but it has definitely been determined that extra weight causes health issues (or makes them worse).

I would not like to see overweight princesses at Disney for myself, or any child - why would I want to have that type of Fantasy, when in real like it would be very easy to be that way if I wanted it?

I doubt very many (if any) children would desire to have an overweight princess doll. Disney will give what we want - and most importantly, what sells!

 

[tiffmarie99]

As someone who struggled (and continues to struggle) with their weight, I just wanted to add in my opinion too...when I was a young girl growing up, I loved Disney princesses, like most girls. I thought Pocahontas was gorgeous, loved Ariel's red hair, wanted to BE Belle..but never once did I ever think I couldn't be a beautiful princess just like them because of my weight. It never once popped into my head that because I was a chubby girl, with short hair and glasses, that somehow meant I wasn't a princess. My parents raised me to believe I was beautiful, I was perfectly okay..if anything my mothers constant need to say she needed/had to/wanted to lose weight made me feel worse than any of the disney princesses ever did, because in my eyes my mother was the most beautiful woman, and if SHE had to lose weight and she thought so...well..then I must lose weight too! I think parents need to STEP UP and stop blaming companies for how their children feel about their bodies...it's not Disneys fault, it's really not. Kids aren't born thinking 'wow..I need to lose a few pounds' And I don't think they should have a plus size princess just to please a small group of people, I think they do a GREAT job of telling little girls that they are all beautiful and special. This is just based on my experience!

 

[Mouse14]

I have struggled with weight issues regarding meds and metabolism, but through constantly battling it I keep a healthy weight. It's not so much 'how' you look (even though it does for my self image personally), but it has definitely been determined that extra weight causes health issues (or makes them worse). I would not like to see overweight princesses at Disney for myself, or any child - why would I want to have that type of Fantasy, when in real like it would be very easy to be that way if I wanted it? I doubt very many (if any) children would desire to have an overweight princess doll. Disney will give what we want - and most importantly, what sells!

Thank you! Finally someone else said what I was thinking...

 

[Yellowstonetim]

The bottom line issue is two conflicting good ideas:

1. Help overweight or otherwise different children have good self worth
2. Do not encourage overweight as normal and healthy

The question then is: Can we give children a larger size princess or character that gives them a role model and builds their self esteem without encouraging and validating bad habits that lead to obesity?

I think so. Just because they can identify with a character that is plus sized won't make everyone go, "Look, a large size character/princess, obesity is OK!"

Both self esteem and attitudes about obesity and healthy eating ultimately reside in the home. So really one way or the other it doesn't matter whether Disney does a large size princess or not.

 

[Suger Mag]

It's not just Disney that has found the formula for what sells. Take a look at Strawberry Shortcake.....

Original:

Update:

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THEY GAVE HER FINGERS



Seriously though... she is not that much smaller...legs are the same size, but now she has cankles.... head is bigger and she is taller.. but the original dress was way unflattering and now she is wearing tighter clothes and showing off that she is 'banging like a strawberry shortcake'. Plus now that she has fingers maybe she can get dressed easier....

 

[mandyyyrose]

No hate, please

I personally, as a 19 year old girl, don't like the idea of a 'plus size' princess. I am not the Disney princess type by any means, but that hasn't stopped me from relating to and learning from them. My favorite princess is Ariel, and I remember running around the beach and swimming with my 'mermaid tail', I also remember(heck, still do) sing Mulan songs every chance I get. I don't relate to their bodies or background, and that's okay. Disney doesn't owe it to me, or anyone, to make something just because it is demanded. If we create princesses just to please people, then isn't the magic kind of gone? The 'body type' isn't what should matter, I don't even honestly remember the 'size' of them, I remember the story. I don't look at the princesses as body image models, I look at them as heroic, mature brave and capable women, and that's what I learned from them and aspire for myself. My acceptance of my body came from my parents, sister, friends, boyfriend, and ultimately myself, not a Disney movie. I'm happier with my body now than I ever have been, and that's nothing a movie could teach me, although some Disney songs are good to rock out to while I'm running At least for myself and my little cousins, I want them to get the lasting messages that they can do whatever they set their minds to, I don't think that they need a plus sized princess to tell them they're okay, if that's how it ends up, I want me and my sister, as well as their mothers and aunts and grandma to be the ones to tell them they're beautiful, Disney should be their escape, their fantasy, their dreams not their body image promoters.
(sorry if that makes absolutely no sense, I'm a college student who's had wayyy too much coffee today)

 

[TooExcitedCantSleep]

It's not just Disney that has found the formula for what sells. Take a look at Strawberry Shortcake.....

Original:

Update:

Strawberry Shortcake was a perfectly reasonable character in the 1980s and reflected the cultural demand at that time. She has been re-imagined to conform with what sells today. If there was a market demand for a more plump version of the character, the character would reflect that.

HA HA!!!! I grew up watching Strawberry Shortcake.......I didn't even notice how much of a drastic this change was. I like the new one better, though...she looks like an actual girl-----the first one looks like a doll.

I thought of something else too......it's very hypocritical for NBC/Comcast and Fox to promote this girl's cause-----when all their new anchors and reporters are slender. Does that upset her too???? NBC -----all of your Today show anchors are skinny whenever you decide to assign the first fat news anchor to headline the Today Show then you can judge. Otherwise- NBC and Fox is just slimy pretending that they care when they won't hire fat news anchors!!!!! Hypocrites!!!!!

 

[OlaftheSnowman]

Interesting.. I guess the themed restaurant to go along with the princess would have to be a buffet..

Excuse me but it does not have to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[arthropodtodd]

this is the silliest thing ever. When did we quit taking responsibility for ourselves and expect others to cater to our problems/concerns/wishes.

this coming from a fat dude.

 

[North of Mouse]

this is the silliest thing ever. When did we quit taking responsibility for ourselves and expect others to cater to our problems/concerns/wishes.

this coming from a fat dude.

Self responsibility takes effort and that's just too hard for some. And, a few are also taught that by their parents - (I actually know some).

Just a spoiled entitled generation - not all, of course.

 

[MichiganDVC]

I am not sure if this has been mentioned already, but....

Plus-size does not necessarily mean morbidly obese. People hear "plus-size" and picture a 600 lb woman needing to be airlifted out of her apartment.

I guess I heard plus-sized and thought, "NOT Karen Carpenter." I don't think there would be anything wrong with having a normal-sized princess, which we never have. We have Karen Carpenter princesses with big breasts.
What about a Kate Winslet-sized princess? Or Drew Barrymore? They aren't morbidly obese. And they aren't anorexic. It would seem like a good start.

And for those of you who think you're not influenced by the shapes and sizes of Disney princesses when you're young, here are some articles to chew on. Pun intended:
1. http://www.nytimes.com/1999/05/20/world/study-finds-tv-alters-fiji-girls-view-of-body.html

2. https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-facts-eating-disorders

3. My favorite: http://filmandmedia12.***************/Gender+Roles+and+Stereotypes+Found+in+Disney+Films

 

[Pumpkin meme]

just sayin......

And I'm a middle aged, grandmother with GD's.


YMMV.

 

[Mouse14]

This has got to be the dumbest conversation on dis boards....

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Disney can't have a fat princess . Most Disney princess movies starts out with the hero having a problem that has to be overcome.

A fat Disney princess problem would deal with the isolation and snickering of others at school or work.

What would the people causing the pain look like? Disney princesses.

Seriously, put Aurora and Jasmine in modern clothes and they are the villains to the fat girl story.

Plus, how does the fat girl win? Can she realistically get the good looking guy? No! She only wins by losing the weight. That only reinforces the problem to a young fat girl.

Here are a few things I would like to see.

A fat girl can be smart, and she can regain her self confidence. She can learn to wear clothes and makeup that complements her, and she can learn to carry her head high. She can learn to do better with her eating and that it's ok to not look like Aurora. She can also learn that even though she may not get Prince Philip, there is an adorable teddy bear of a guy out there that will treat her well and not like a possession. She will learn to not rely on her looks but by the strong will she has developed. She can start her own business or earn her degree or both and she can and will make it...and live happily ever after.

 

[North of Mouse]

This has got to be the dumbest conversation on dis boards....

Well, you can just thank 'Rumors Rocks' which start a lot of this type threads, then never again post on them!!

Evident they love to