Disney princesses are popular with kids. This coming 2017, another live-action movie "Beauty and the Beast" will hit the big screen. They made the female main character, Belle, an inventor. But is Disney silently promoting feminism to young children, especially to little girls?
The heroines of every Disney movies are known to be though and independent. For example, Ariel from "The Little Mermaid," and Belle from "Beauty and the Beast," and especially Mulan from "Mulan." As time goes by, there are many changes in terms of character improvement and development of these Princesses. All of them are strong, intelligent and independent, which screams feminism.
An article from Cracked stated that Disney Princesses promote feminism. For example, considering them as protagonists, and not as princesses. Consider them without wearing their tiaras and gowns. Are they still a princess in a kid's own point of view? Are they still protagonists?
Belle's character from "The Beauty and the Beast" also changed after 25 years. She still love reading books, still a strong independent woman, but, with a job. An article from Huffpost, says that it seems like the movie is a feminist manifesto.
Jobs & Hire previously reported why Emma Watson made a backstory on Belle's character. She wants her character to have a job, not just reading books everyday. Watson is known to be a feminist, so the director of the "Beauty and the Beast," Bill Condon tells to People that they still want Watson to remain a feminist figure. But still, the whole plot of "Beauty and the Beast" is just similar from the 1991 movie.
"Frozen" is another film from Disney that reportedly promotes feminism. Though, there is no valid reason, aside from having two female protagonists.
Did Disney really create these Princesses to promote feminism? Or perhaps, they are just adding some twist to modernize the Princesses today?
