*sigh*
A few weeks ago, I read this web article, "
Disney's New Frozen Heroine Is White, Blonde, and Thin, Which Is Nice For A Change." And I had a lot of problems with it.
First of all, I feel the need to acknowledge that my perspective may work against me here: I'm white and blonde, am possessed of large, Disney-princess eyeballs and, while not a princess, I do consider myself to be the heroine of my own life (or, fairy tale). And, to some, this may mean that I'm writing from a place of privilege, and can't possibly understand the issue in its entirety.
Which...may be true, but I'd also like to think that that doesn't mean I can't have a valid opinion.
*****
One of my favorite things about these articles is reading the comments. Because usually? They're good for a few laughs. But the commenters here make some really great points--ones that can't be reduced to a black-and-white debate. For instance: Yes. Frozen is based (and let's go ahead and emphasize based) on Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen." (I have no doubt that Disney will put their own spin on the tale, much like they did with Andersen's "The Little Mermaid.") And, yes: the stereotypical appearance attributed to Scandinavians is blonde-haired, blue-eyed Caucasians. And, yes. Not all Scandinavians are blonde-haired and blue-eyed. We do have to acknowledge the presence of the Sami tribes and the fact that they do not look like the women above.
And, yes. Anna does bear a striking resemblance to Rapunzel from Tangled. And Disney does love its blonde-haired, blue-eyed heroines. Or does it...? Snow White, of course, had hair as dark as ebony. The princesses in the mid-90s -- Ariel, Belle, & Jasmine -- were a redhead and 2 brunettes (6 brunettes, if we include Mulan, Pocahontas, Meg, and Esmeralda). Then came dark-haired Tiana and redheaded Merida. Before Anna--there were 3 blondes: Rapunzel, Aurora, and Cinderella -- who, originally, was a strawberry-blonde much like Nancy Drew. So why all the Blonde Hate???
Maybe because Cinderella is usually placed front and center in the Disney princess line-up. But maybe Disney's return to blonde princesses isn't all that surprising. Every time they branch out and attempt to tell a story featuring a non-white heroine, they get attacked. Aladdin is a racist portrayal of Arabs; they butchered the historical stories of Mulan and Pocahontas; and the controversy surrounding Tiana may have over-shadowed the film itself.
The thing is, the fairy tales that Disney draw from are European ones. (Imagine the controversy if Disney attempted to adapt a traditional African folktale.) So, for their Princess franchise, it kinda makes sense.
And I understand the logical response, especially from parents: not all princesses are white and blonde and that could send a negative message to impressionable kids.
But here's the thing that bugs me about this criticism: the focus on Anna and Elsa's appearance seems very superficial. We're only focusing on what they look like -- and what kind of message does THAT send?
To me, it seems much more important to focus on what kind of heroine Anna will be. With the most recent Disney princess movies, we've seen princesses come so far from where they started -- as passive objects who need to be rescued and only desire to get married. Rapunzel leaves her tower and she and Flynn save each other; Tiana owns her own restaurant; and Merida refuses to get married, prioritizing her own journey of self-discovery. Will Anna and Elsa continue this trend? Or will Disney regress in its depiction of women? The fact that Anna and Elsa are sisters seems to be promising: perhaps the central plotline will be the resolution of the tension between them rather than a love story. (I'm sure there will be a love story, but it matters significantly whether this is the focus or merely a B-plot.)
Again, I don't mean to belittle the lack of diversity in Disney princess films. But I do think that focusing so zealously on their appearance has its own pitfalls. We say over and over again that it's what's on the inside that counts -- and here we are, prioritizing the physical appearance of an animated character. If the inside truly does matter, and Anna and/or Elsa keep Disney's portrayal of women moving forward, then we should celebrate Disney's decision to create a strong, independent female--no matter what color hair or skin she has.
