Disney Takes Another “Leap” into Diversity

First there was Snow White, Aurora, Cinderella, and now, there’s Tiana. It has taken Disney 72 years to finally create princess that not only I can identify with, but other little girls from the same background as me. Although this has been a long anticipated milestone to pass, the movie, The Princess and the Frog, contradicts itself in a couple ways.
I always wondered why the princesses never looked like me. As a young girl, it was hard for me to figure out why I wasn’t quite “the same” as Cinderella or Snow White. I remember as a young girl, I would want my hair to be bone straight like Ariel’s and Blonde like Cinderella’s. I aspired to be just like them, because that’s who I grew up watching. I never really understood why my mom wouldn’t let me buy the “white” Barbie's, instead of the “black” Barbie’s, because in my eyes I didn’t relate to the “black” Barbie’s. Now that I’m older, and there’s finally a black Disney princess I can identify with, I can’t really identify with her at all. Disney let the stereotypes of the world creep into the first black Disney princess movie.
Most people view black men as being intimidating, heartless, and ruthless, while the women have that neck rolling, finger waving, lip smacking attitude. These stereotypes are not entirely true. Yes, I admit there are people out there that fit the stereotypes, but not ALL of “us”. When I saw the previews for The Princess and the Frog, I was kind of disappointed. She had an attitude that supposedly defines the black women in America. I can’t speak for every little black girl out in the world, because there are some that are raised around women with that type of attitude, but I can speak for the black girls and women in my family when I say we don’t roll our necks, wave our fingers and smack our lips. So, to see that type of behavior from the first black Disney princess is offensive. I think that it sends the wrong message to the girls that aren’t raised in the “hood”. To me, it’s telling them that that is the type of attitude they are supposed to have because that’s the attitude Tiana has. It isn’t right. Cinderella, Snow White, and Aurora were timid and quiet women, but Tiana has a loud mouth attitude.
On a more positive note though, Disney changed from their typical damsel in distress act. In all of the other princess movies, the princess is being saved by her “knight in shining armor”, but Tiana saves herself. Instead of being captured and rescued by her prince, Tiana isn’t really looking for him. He happens to “hop” in and find her. What I get out of her not waiting around for her prince to rescue her is a sign of strength. I used to think that having a boyfriend or my “prince” defined who I was as person. I was never really comfortable with just me, there always had to be someone else’s name after mine. I just recently realized though that no one can define me, but me. I don’t need a boy to rescue me when I get into trouble, or help me when I can’t figure something out on my own. I think that a majority of all women are sitting around waiting for their “prince” to come and sweep them off of their feet, when in reality, its up to us girls and women to make our own destiny’s and happiness. I think seeing a Disney princess that isn’t being rescued and that is content with just herself is a great message to send to young girls. I think that as young girls, we’re programmed to want that perfect relationship at a young. We see it on television, society, from our peers, and of course in the fairytale stories we’re read to before we close our eyes at night.
Despite the downfalls in stereotyping, I think Disney is sending out an outstanding message to the young girls that are going to watch this movie. For the little black girls, they now have someone to identify with, and for every little girl, they can see they don’t need a fairytale ending to bring them happiness and to define them. We as individuals define ourselves.