For years some of the Disney Princesses have been looked down upon for appearing to be poor role models. The reasons for this include that most Disney Princesses expect the man to be the provider, promote unfair beauty standards, and believe that one should give everything up for a man. While I agree with all of these points, I also believe that there are many Disney princesses that have distinguished qualities that we as collegiettes should try to emulate.
1. Ariel’s Sacrifice
In The Little Mermaid, Ariel chooses to give up her life as a mermaid in order to pursue her true love, Prince Eric. Although it is a little ridiculous that Ariel gave up her whole life for a man she didn’t even know, Ariel was able to make the ultimate sacrifice for what she wanted. As college students, sometimes it’s hard to make sacrifices in order to achieve our end goals, but Ariel shows us that it can be worth it.
2. Mulan’s Strength and Independence
In Mulan, Fa Mulan runs away from home to join the Chinese army pretending to be a man so that her injured father would not have to. Later in the film, Mulan not only saves her captain’s life, but she also saves the emperor from the Hun Army. Though we may not have the opportunity to save an entire country from the evil wrath of a rogue army, there are times every day that we could demonstrate strength and independence, not matter how small they may seem.
3. Merida’s Bravery
Merida from Brave seems like the complete opposite of the typical Disney Princess. She has no interest in marriage and is a complete tomboy. In the movie, Merida accidentally turns her mother into a bear, but through acts of love and bravery, she is able to turn her mother back into a human.
4. Jasmine’s Outspokenness
While all of these characteristics are great, Jasmine’s ability to speak her mind is definitely more relatable to collegiettes. She is never afraid to stand up for what she believes in, even when she faces dangerous opposition. In this day and age where some cultures and people are constantly trying to shut women up, it is important to try to emulate Jasmine’s talent to speak out.
5. Rapunzel’s Optimism
Even when things got bad for Tangled’s Rapunzel, she never became pessimistic. She always knew how to look on the bright side and she used that to her advantage throughout the film, even when her life was in danger. As college students, sometimes it’s hard not to feel cynical after receiving a bad test score or having an awful day in general, but Rapunzel shows us that we’re better off remaining positive.
Image source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatpicturegalleries/7545246/Warrior-Women.html?image=13