Do Disney Princesses help internalize gender roles?

Disney’s Female Characters

From the moment you take your first breath society, and you're parents had already set gender roles for you. We are automatically dressed in pink if we are girls or in blue for boys. But, why do these roles internalize in our minds? How can we decide on our own when society has enforces certain ideas for us to follow?

The idea of following this so called norms of women being submissive to men is insane. And what is more insane is that we see it everywhere. Many little girls get the message at a very young age. The ideas are seen in movies, but exclusively in more popular movies, Disney princess movies that attract little girls. But, why? Well every girl is told or compared to a princess, and every little boy to a prince. And to be honest what girl doesn't like to be treated like a princess, pshhh I know I sure do.

Disney’s Male Characters

But, should we let men have the power just to wear the crown? Absolutely NOT!!!! That is no reason why we should under estimate are ability to do things on our own. The sense of having the crown is not going to give us power, but the ability to be able to be dependent women, and reach our goals.

When little girls see gender roles in movies they are more likely to have the same expectations. However, do these movies really convey gender roles? Do most little girls who grow up watching Cinderella, The Little Mermaid or any princess movie, become submissive to men?

I think they do, every princess in most movies has to be saved by a handsome prince. We become submissive and willing to give it all up for them.

Elsa being independant

However let’s talk about submissive women. In every Disney movie the princess needs to wait for prince charming, all for the exception of Frozen. Now let’s see, in the story of Snow White she had to be brought back to life by a man. The Little Mermaid gave all she had to be with her prince, but Elsa from Frozen she knew you couldn’t just marry a man you just met.

Now, they all fall deeply in love with this handsome, perfect guy who is worth giving everything up. But, why is it that they follow orders from a man they don’t really know? I don’t know if we will ever know this, but what I do know is that Disney sure does not want us to see it this way. They want us to focus in the love portion of the story, and its happy endings.

Disney’s Evil Female Characters

In reality they are internalizing that women should wait for men, and if women take action (ex. Ursula, Anastasia and Drizella) they are seen as evil witches. Often being isolated and excluded.

Now, what if society did not set certain gender rules? Do you think we would be able to have equal pay, or equal opportunities? Or would women still be seen as evil, ugly witches?

So why can’t we be more like Elsa from Disney's most recent movie Frozen, who didn’t need a men to have a happy ending. Women shouldn't sit around and wait for Prince Charming, we should be independent and take care of ourselves.

In reality I don't believe that we can forget gender roles, and expect to get equal treatment. However, I think we can change the expectations for women and men by changing our norms. Changing the idea of men having the power to be possessive, demanding, and controlling. For woman, we should set more expectations. Expectations for ourselves in order to be more independent and less submissive.