Bonefire of the Disney Princesses

[fuzzis]

Bonfire of the Disney Princesses (http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071224/ehrenreich)

...Disney likes to think of the Princesses as role models, but what a sorry bunch of wusses they are. Typically, they spend much of their time in captivity or a coma, waking up only when a Prince comes along and kisses them. The most striking exception is Mulan, who dresses as a boy to fight in the army, but--like the other Princess of color, Pocahontas--she lacks full Princess status and does not warrant a line of tiaras and gowns. Otherwise the Princesses have no ambitions and no marketable skills, although both Snow White and Cinderella are good at housecleaning.

And what could they aspire to, beyond landing a Prince? In Princessland, the only career ladder leads from baby-faced adolescence to a position as an evil enchantress, stepmother or witch. Snow White's wicked stepmother is consumed with envy for her stepdaughter's beauty; the sea witch Ursula covets Ariel's lovely voice; Cinderella's stepmother exploits the girl's cheap, uncomplaining, labor. No need for complicated witch-hunting techniques--pin-prickings and dunkings--in Princessland. All you have to look for is wrinkles....

[ComputerDude]

Wow! The gal that wrote this probably didn't get that Disney doll she wanted for Christmas as a child, so this is the result. I believe she's forgotten that the original princesses (Snow White, Cinderella) were conceived during a time in our history where women pretty much just cooked, cleaned and pumped a bunch of babies out. They were nothing more then a reflection of society at the time so her problem with what they stand for should really be more directed at the people around her, than Disney.

[fuzzis]

Wow! The gal that wrote this probably didn't get that Disney doll she wanted for Christmas as a child, so this is the result. I believe she's forgotten that the original princesses (Snow White, Cinderella) were conceived during a time in our history where women pretty much just cooked, cleaned and pumped a bunch of babies out. They were nothing more then a reflection of society at the time so her problem with what they stand for should really be more directed at the people around her, than Disney.

I would think that the point is that Disney is marketing and making incredible amounts of money off of archaic stereotypes of what women are and can be...but then again, that's what I took away from the article. :laugh:

[jkspatty]

Wow! The gal that wrote this probably didn't get that Disney doll she wanted for Christmas as a child, so this is the result. I believe she's forgotten that the original princesses (Snow White, Cinderella) were conceived during a time in our history where women pretty much just cooked, cleaned and pumped a bunch of babies out. They were nothing more then a reflection of society at the time so her problem with what they stand for should really be more directed at the people around her, than Disney.


Women still cook, clean, and "pump out babies". Just add to the list work full time and wipe hubbys butt. LOL. Interesting article:smt001

[ComputerDude]

Women still cook, clean, and "pump out babies". Just add to the list work full time and wipe hubbys butt. LOL. Interesting article:smt001Damn. Not in my house.:(

[jkspatty]

Damn. Not in my house.:(

Nor in mine:-D

[upset]

Women still cook, clean, and "pump out babies". Just add to the list work full time and wipe hubbys butt. LOL. Interesting article:smt001


Please tell my wife this.... She doesn't know what all she's suppose to be doing and I'm not gonna tell her... ;)

[58ford]

I think this just mirrors real life in that if you're a hot chick, you really don't need to do anything else. You notice the Disney universe doesn't contain any real ugly princesses.

[LipsofanAngel]

I think this just mirrors real life in that if you're a hot chick, you really don't need to do anything else. You notice the Disney universe doesn't contain any real ugly princesses.
:miffed::eusa_thin

[Chichiguita]

Tinkerbell for president!

[aaron]

So, the author is complaining because Disney didn't get Snow White "marketable skills" in the 50's and is making money off of that? Have a lot of time on our hands do we? This is another article where I have to say, let's just let kids be kids, and not over-analyze everything that they see and hear. I'm way more concerned about the images we're putting into their heads during the teen years like Britney and Lindsey.

[fuzzis]

So, the author is complaining because Disney didn't get Snow White "marketable skills" in the 50's and is making money off of that? Have a lot of time on our hands do we? This is another article where I have to say, let's just let kids be kids, and not over-analyze everything that they see and hear. I'm way more concerned about the images we're putting into their heads during the teen years like Britney and Lindsey.

Well...the argument goes that before they see images like Britney and Lindsey, there's already an indoctrination beginning with things like the Disney princesses. Goes something along the lines of, as long as you're pretty and helpless, there's going to be someone who comes along and rescues you. Or your value is derived from your beauty. You can be talentless (like Britney and Lindsey) but if you've got the look, talent doesn't matter.

It's a point on the continuum.

[Natural Sunshine]

My daughter loves the Disney Princesses and I don't think she takes anything negative away from it....she likes to dress up and play, but knows that it's all make-believe...I think that it is part of being a kid and they don't really think anything about it.

[aaron]

You can be talentless (like Britney and Lindsey) but if you've got the look, talent doesn't matter.


But that is the truth for both sexes. Men and women should be concerned with looks, it gets you places, talented or not. Should they be concerned with it to the point that it is destroying their lives or causing unhappiness? No.

[58ford]

As long as they show enough leg.

[ComputerDude]

Or your value is derived from your beauty. You can be talentless (like Britney and Lindsey) but if you've got the look, talent doesn't matter.
Talent no longer matters. It's been that way for YEARS now.
And if the author is concerned with girls getting the wrong message about how looks will get you far in life, she needs to talk more about things like Beauty Pageants which just about solely judge a woman on her looks.

[fuzzis]

Talent no longer matters. It's been that way for YEARS now.
And if the author is concerned with girls getting the wrong message about how looks will get you far in life, she needs to talk more about things like Beauty Pageants which just about solely judge a woman on her looks.

How do you know that she doesn't? :laugh:

If nothing else, there is value in stopping and asking ourselves questions about assumptions we harbor...and one of those questions is what kind of message do we send to our children with the toys that we give them to play with?

[ComputerDude]

How do you know that she doesn't? :laugh:

If nothing else, there is value in stopping and asking ourselves questions about assumptions we harbor...and one of those questions is what kind of message do we send to our children with the toys that we give them to play with?

We need to get back to those good old wholesome toys we played with as kids.
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9844/bsquirt11f0bf7bbj0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Conveyor Belt]

I'm not going to bother to read the article. Someone tell me what the authoress thinks a good alternative is.

My kid plays with StarWars toys. He played with Thomas last year. Does that mean he's got an overinflated sense of right and wrong? Is he going to seek out justice?

You can't stop girls from being girls and boys from being boys. Like it or not, looks ARE important in society. Like it or not, they DO get you places. Just like KNOWING people gets you places. That's how it works. Learn to play the game or watch from the sidelines.

[No-Halo]

I've always enjoyed the Disney character who was patterned after me...

http://www.dynamitegymnastics.org.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/shrek.jpg

Thanks Disney!! :clap:

[Scarlett O'Hara]

I kinda think I'd like to have no other skills than to land a prince!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JimmyJam]

We need to get back to those good old wholesome toys we played with as kids.
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9844/bsquirt11f0bf7bbj0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Kinda answers that age-old question about the relationship between Batman and Robin....:laugh:

[ComputerDude]

I've always enjoyed the Disney character who was patterned after me...

http://www.dynamitegymnastics.org.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/shrek.jpg

Thanks Disney!! :clap:
Sorry, Shrek is owned by Dreamworks. Not Disney.



Don't shoot me.:smt118

[countrygirl]

Damn. Not in my house.:(

Are you sure?

[No-Halo]

Sorry, Shrek is owned by Dreamworks. Not Disney.



Don't shoot me.:smt118
My bad ComputerDonkey. ;)

http://www.insidesocal.com/friendlyfire/180px-Shrek_donkey.jpg

[Chichiguita]

As long as they show enough leg.


You make me giggle....every time you post--it's like a guilty pleasure..."what will 58 Ford say about this one..."...