'Princess' and the Frog

Many of us are familiar with the Disney film The Princess and the Frog. At first glance it seems like a typical Disney princess movie, but if examined a bit further we are able to read the story between the lines.  The Princess and the Frog takes place in the French Quarter of New Orleans, where a young African-American woman named Tiana is in pursuit of opening her own restaurant.  Although, Tiana has big dreams she currently works not one, but two jobs, because she is in the process of saving.  

That is to say, at a surface level this allows us to view Tiana as driven, responsible and determined; it’s clear to see that she has her priorities in order and is focused on her responsibilities.  By analyzing her character it seems as though she is not necessarily looking for love.  This itself is interesting because in traditional Disney films the women are always known to be passive, in comparison to the male.  But Tiana’s role is the complete opposite, she waits around for no one, and doesn't need a man.  

Furthermore, it forces me to question the sincerity behind Disney's intentions. Why now? Why is a black woman finally being chosen for this role?  And why is she the princess who has to work so hard for a living?  It makes me question if this is a positive shift in how blacks are viewed or a negative one. I immediately consider the hidden story behind this reality. The first reaction I had was that of course they choose a black women to be lower class and struggling to make ends meet.  Her character obviously has a huge amount of stress; and we are able to witness her breakdowns often times throughout the film. This role sure does portray an image of what the black woman's role actually is and I’m not sure if it’s one that I agree with.

Is this how Disney views the average black women? Stressed, always striving for more than what she has, and not very well off.  Is there a reason why Disney Animation Studios specifically chose a black women to represent this persona?  I think yes.  It could be because this is how black women are viewed, so why would they want to alter an individual’s or child's reality? Childhood is the primary age when African-American children begin to acknowledge and process racial stereotypes, so movies such as this one have a huge impact on their thought process. If the black community is viewed as financially 'less than', and at best working middle class, what example is being set for our youth? It’s almost as if being rich isn't a possibility for the black community; if they ever get to that point they must have had to work hard for it- very hard. 

Many people may have opposing views and say that Tiana possesses positive, relatable characteristics- even inspiring. And believe me I get that, but why couldn't a Caucasian character be chosen to play this role? Why couldn't Disney create a black princess who is already wealthy or an heiress?  Or at least have parents who support her financially?  Or nonetheless just have both parents in her life.  I think the issue is much larger than you and I; it lies in the foundation of how we think. All I'm saying is that maybe we should create a different ideology for the black community. Instead of having an African-American character who is riding the poverty line, maybe we can portray them in a successful light and represent thosewomen who break typical African American stereo types.