Disney sometimes gets a bad rep for telling and retelling the story of a girl whose life changes when she falls in love with a boy. Although this may be the main plot line of most Disney princess movies, there is certainly more to their stories than that!
Take the newest Disney movie, Frozen, for example which is progressive in so many ways. Frozen got me thinking about all of the Disney princesses, old and new, and made me realized that these movies have a lot of lessons in them—yes, even the Disney classics. Do they all have “strong female characters”? Not necessarily, but a close look shows that there’s more to the Disney Classics than romantic fluff.
To prove it, we’ve compiled a list of twenty things that the Disney Princesses have taught us that have nothing to do with romance or boys:
1. From Beauty and the Beast: It’s cool to read!
2. From Mulan: Girls can kick butt too.
3. From Brave: You should take the reigns in controlling your own destiny
4. From Snow White: Possessing inner beauty is more valuable and important than pursuing everlasting outer beauty
5. From Frozen: True love comes in many forms, and sometimes, familial love trumps all.
6. From Tangled: Sometimes strength comes from standing up to those who want to keep you down
7. From Aladdin: We should take risks
8. From Princess and the Frog: Hard work and determination pays off
9. From Tangled: Being selfless is a virtue
10. From Pocahontas: Live your life with passion and always maintain your sense of self.
11. From Cinderella: Patience and kindness will be rewarded
12. From The Little Mermaid: Curiosity can change your life: we should always remain curious and adventurous
13. From Beauty and the Beast: What’s on the inside counts more than what’s on the outside—never judge a book by its cover.
14. From Snow White: We should always learn to make the most out of a bad situation
15. From Frozen: It’s perfectly okay to want to be alone sometimes, but don’t be afraid to reach out to others in times of need.
16. From The Little Mermaid: A dream that requires you to give up a key part of yourself may not be worth it
17. From Aladdin: Don’t be afraid to explore the world and open your eyes to new experiences
18. From Sleeping Beauty: Sing and dance whenever you please
19. From Beauty and the Beast: Being different isn’t the worst thing in the world
20. And finally, from all the Disney Princesses (but especially Merida, Rapunzel, Mulan, and Anna): Remember to always be brave!
[Photo Sources: Tumblr, Fanpop]