I don't think her daughter will be going to WDW any time soon...

[Disney Planner Mama]

I just saw this article at the ABC News website. Now I consider myself a feminist and IMHO I think she is way off on this. Just thought I would share it with other Disney princess lovers. The article is titled "What's wrong with being a princess?"

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Health/story?id=3065469&page=1

 

[LilBlackSheep]

Orenstein questions whether perfect-looking princesses are good role models for girls. She wants children to live in reality, not fantasy.

Ugg....give me a break.

My daughter is not into the pricess thing, but I don't see anything wrong with it.

 

[Disney Planner Mama]

This was my favorite quote:

"It really is ultimately about looking pretty, and having a lot of stuff," she said. "And as somebody who studied body image, I really worry about what it's setting girls up for. Will the girl who is wearing 'Princess' across her chest when she's three be wearing 'Spoiled' across her chest when she's six, and 'Porn Star' when she is 12?"

 

[tweetie1]

Give me a break.

My daughter loved those princess stories when she was a little girl - but she was never spoiled or a porn star

She is in college now studying internet network security - not exactly a 'princess' occupation - and her favorite sport as a teen was paintball - where she was a better shot than her boyfriend and could take apart and reassemble the paintball gun faster than anyone on her team. Of course she should have been able to - her other favorite past time as a little girl, other than watching Disney Movies, was hunting and camping with her dad.

This woman is just looking for something to fuss about - I will bet you money that she liked all the princess girly stuff when she was a child. She is just making a name for herself and I feel sorry for her daughter.

 

[Tinkbellfan]

Each generation of girls grows up with some role model. Was Barbie "reality"? Let children be just that, children, reality will hit soon enough!

 

[Ragetti]

My wife is a strong feminist... and she does have some concerns about the Princesses in a culture where we have women starving themselves to meet some impossible ideal. But more than looks, her main concern has been passivity... the idea that "the Prince" will come and save her without any action on her part. Thus, her favorite princesses are Belle, Pocahontas, Mulan, and Cinderella in Cindy III.

Having said that, we let our daughter watch all the Disney Princess films. We depend on our own teaching to raise a non-passive daughter. For that reason, when our daughter plays Sleeping Beauty, she always seems to have a sword strapped over her dress. LOL.

I think it pays to be aware of the pitfalls of "Someday my Prince will come," but there's no need to go nuts about it. You can't erase centuries of patriarchy by denying your daughter participate in the culture. I mean, we're taking our daughter to see Cindy and friends, and I'm convinced she'll still be a strong, independent young woman.

 

[LauraAnn630]

I know boys that dress up like action heros or star wars characters. My DS even stated when he grows up he wants to be a jedi. LOL

I think he will realise the position of jedi or pirate is not in the classified adds.

What about imagination? I thought that was good for kids!

What if the Wright brothers didnt imagine flying in a plane?
What if Henry Ford didnt imagine driving in a car?

Honey, get them horses ready were going to Disney!

 

[Philadisney]

My wife is a strong feminist... and she does have some concerns about the Princesses in a culture where we have women starving themselves to meet some impossible ideal. But more than looks, her main concern has been passivity... the idea that "the Prince" will come and save her without any action on her part. Thus, her favorite princesses are Belle, Pocahontas, Mulan, and Cinderella in Cindy III.

Right on! Pocahontas and Mulan are my favorites too, for that reason. They did not sit around waiting for a man to rescue them, instead they saved their guy (and their entire communities too!). Despite what many naysayers have tried to tell me, the Disney princesses are not all about sitting on their behinds and waiting for prince charming to show up and save the day.
In fact the only princess I've really had a problem with for not doing much to improve her own situation is Cindy...so I am very glad to hear that perhaps we see a different side of her in Cinderella III. I will have to check it out.

 

[islandmum]

god I hate the PC gone mad with some people!

for kids to have something to dress up as, or watch on TV like Cinderella is great ..... keeps them AS KIDS in my opinion. I mean she said she wants kids to have REALITY .....

well reality in the US is that more than 60% of the population are overweight so I can imagine how much fun getting a chubby little doll wearing jeans, sweats and sneakers would be to a 6 year old girl!! Does she suggest banning boys dressing as pirates or playing Bball as it encourages competition??

its all about being a kid, using their imagination in the name of childhood.

I mean - if we were talking about pagents and that kind of dressing up .... well I have a VERY different view on that! that stuff is just scary!

 

[SuperOstah]

well reality in the US is that more than 60% of the population are overweight so I can imagine how much fun getting a chubby little doll wearing jeans, sweats and sneakers would be to a 6 year old girl!!

Well, there is always the Cabbage Patch Kids. . .

 

[islandmum]

Well, there is always the Cabbage Patch Kids. . .

wow yes!! I'd forgotten them! but we didnt dress up to be like them, or aspire to be them, thats what I was trying to get at.

my poor cabbage patch kid ended up suffering death by 3 month old puppy!

 

[SuperOstah]

wow yes!! I'd forgotten them! but we didnt dress up to be like them, or aspire to be them, thats what I was trying to get at.

That was kind of my point as well. There have been many product fads out there, which are merely that.

Example, when I was a kid, I had tons of Ghostbusters and He-man stuff, but at the same time, I was deeply afraid of ghosts and monsters. And now, well, let's just say my life isn't nearly as exacting as either of those professions. Although I do have the same name as Prince Adam. . .

Adults seem to have the largest issues with thinking children will have a problem with the difference between fantasy and reality. For kids, it's not going to take them too long to find out that the Harry Potter magic wand they bought isn't really doing too much for magic.

And besides, I live in a fantasy world every day, and I'm ok. I think. I am on a disney discussion board at work. . .

 

[islandmum]

Adults seem to have the largest issues with thinking children will have a problem with the difference between fantasy and reality. For kids, it's not going to take them too long to find out that the Harry Potter magic wand they bought isn't really doing too much for magic.

.

so true - let kids be kids, theres far too much these days of kids dressing and acting and talking like adults when they're still under 10!

where did childhood go for some of these kids. I'm still shocked at what some retailers sell as girls clothes for children as young as 3 ..... **** tubes, hot pants etc... I find that horrendous.

 

[myladyisatramp]

Come on let little girls pretend to be princess's,what the heck is wrong with that kids have played dress up for years. Its better than running around in half tops and short shorts.(which is what the stores sell even for little 3 year olds) so running around in a princess dress and looking up to someone even if they are a fantasy is far better than having them look up to someone say like Britney Spears. I have a 24 year old daughter who had everything princess and she is a very competent, beautiful young lady now, not a porn star. Find something else to complain about maybe the kids who don't know how to have an imagination and go on to do dreadful things. Just had to speak my mind thanks.

 

[becky_AK]

OMG...people are just too uptight sometimes. I grew up watching all the princess movies & loved them (I still do & I'm 26) but it never affected me negatively. I think that girls can pretend to be a princess and dress up & there is nothing wrong with it. I love them, but am still a strong woman and believe that there is more to life then just trying to be pretty & perfect. I'm completing my Masters degree, played basketball for a nationally ranked college, and still loved to dress up and watch the princess movies. What is this article trying to say? I just don't understand why people have to restrict kids from enjoying their childhood and pretending to be their favorite characters & having an imagination. There is nothing wrong with it & it is up to parents to prevent their child from becoming a "porn star" as mentioned earlier. Articles like this just irritate me.

 

[SuperOstah]

so true - let kids be kids, theres far too much these days of kids dressing and acting and talking like adults when they're still under 10!

where did childhood go for some of these kids. I'm still shocked at what some retailers sell as girls clothes for children as young as 3 ..... **** tubes, hot pants etc... I find that horrendous.

I like the cut of your jib islandmum. I'd much rather my little nieces ran around in the big poofy dresses they have than to be trying to dress up like a 21 year old on her way out clubbin'.

BTW- are you following me around on my seemingly un-endless ranting for the day, or what?

 

[mhm]

I just remember the line from Kindergarden Cop--"I'm not a policeman, I'm a princess." Who says you can't be both?

My dd4 is into the Disney princesses right now, and while I don't encourage the "I'm better than everyone else" aspect often associated with princess-dom, I am encouraging the fantasy portion of it.

Fortunately, she wants to dress like a princess, but she also likes math and wants to play hockey, and when she grows up she wants to go to Cal & play football & rugby, and then be a doctor & take care of babies.

 

[Disney Planner Mama]

Both my girls, (4 & 9) are completely into the princesses. The other day DD4 came home from school saying at naptime she had had a dream she was in Pirates of the Caribbean. I said "Oh, were you Elizabeth Swann?" And she gave me a completely scornful look and said "NO -- I was Captain Jack Sparrow".

I don't think those of us whose daughter are into princesses have anything to worry about.

 

[becky_AK]

I just remember the line from Kindergarden Cop--"I'm not a policeman, I'm a princess." Who says you can't be both?

My dd4 is into the Disney princesses right now, and while I don't encourage the "I'm better than everyone else" aspect often associated with princess-dom, I am encouraging the fantasy portion of it.

Fortunately, she wants to dress like a princess, but she also likes math and wants to play hockey, and when she grows up she wants to go to Cal & play football & rugby, and then be a doctor & take care of babies.

That sounds just like me as a kid...I wanted to be everything...a doctor, a business owner, a teacher, a veterinarian, and the list continued. I just believe that kids should be encouraged to imagine being a princess, imagine being a doctor, imagine being a pilot, etc. and don't discourage kids from doing that. Just because a child wants to pretend to be a princess, it does not mean that she'll grow up thinking she is better then everyone else, it is just up to us as parents to teach kids that we are all equal and no one is better then anyone else.

 

[MeetingMickeyin2006]

How pathetic! Just more liberal, feminist BS. Let children be children!!!!!