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Do you consider the Disney Princesses to be something controversial?


Do you find the Disney Princesses to be controversial/ a bad influence?  

  1. 1. Do you find the Disney Princesses to be controversial/ a bad influence?

    • Yes, they are a bad influence, and we don't allow them here
      29
    • Some of them are worse than others, so we limit exposure
      98
    • I don't find them to be controversial at all
      241


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Poll to follow.

 

I see stuff here and there on the internet about how the 'Disney Princess' thing is controversial, and bad examples, etc.

However, IRL I've not come across a large percentage of people who think that.

So I'm just trying to figure out how widespread this opinion is (I do have a limited scope IRL). I'm also trying to understand the reasoning behind it.

 

So, if you don't mind voting, and then if you DO find them controversial or something that is a bad thing, do you mind saying why? Thanks! :)

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I think they're dumb, and that they do misrepresent femininity, but I'd hardly consider them controversial. :001_smile:

 

:iagree: We've got a few movies but no dolls or Disney toys.

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I need an 'other' in your poll.

 

I think the Disney princesses have to be handled with care. ;)

We allow them, but we only have one of the movies (Beauty & the Beast).

We do read books about them, and the girls have some Disney princess

"stuff" (shirts, a calendar).

 

As we read and talk about the stories though, I have found ways to make them redemptive - pointing to Jesus as our true Prince. I want my girls to know that only He can bring us true joy. Having that expectation for a man will only set them up for disaster.

Edited by JessReplanted
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I love Disney movies. They open the door to many relevant conversations.

Cinderella-victim of child abuse.

Snow White-victim mentality. You can't wait around waiting for some man to save you. You need to live your life.

Jasmine-overprotective parent.

Mulan-The real Mulan was left to die in the snow because she was a woman. No saving China rewards for her.

Belle-Woman who knows what she wants.

 

We have had some excellent conversations over the years.

 

As for the controversy I think it is a tempest in a teapot. Children learn what they live. As long as you are modeling the type of person you want your children to be then the princesses will be just a fairy tale.

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I think they're dumb, and that they do misrepresent femininity, but I'd hardly consider them controversial. :001_smile:

 

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

 

We allow them, under controlled circumstances, such as they can watch the movies (they don't watch most of them since DS1 isn't interested, and DD would find most of them too scary), but I don't buy the dolls well except for Merida I'd buy Merida (well not the Hasbro version, but the ones at the Disney Store).

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I think that giving the message that your self worth is only based on how you look is a bad message for girls. If Disney Princesses were used to do that, then I would be against them. But I don't think it is that simple. Little girls get all kinds of different messages from the Princesses - Belle reads books, Mulan is brave etc. Some girls like girly things more than others. My DD was never too into them. She liked some aspects of them.

 

I read that before Disney created dress up gowns and princess accessories that they had little girls showing up in their home-made princess outfits.

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I voted that we limit exposure, but that's not really true. I do have some issues with them - both the way that Disney has changed the traditional stories and with the idea that girl=princess. However, I'm fine with my kids watching them - we just are sure to discuss those issues.

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I don't find them "controversial," just stupid.

 

My daughter had a princess-obsessed friend who sort of turned her off of them. But I think she likes them a little now!

 

When I was a kid, my mom hated Barbie. When I wanted one, I bought it for myself. ha ha.

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My biggest beef with the Disney princesses is all the cheap, junky merchandise that is marketed to little girls.:ack2:

 

I'm hoping we can mostly avoid all that, even if this little one on her way turns out to be a girly-girl.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree:X10000000000

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I don't think controversial is quite right. But no, in our family we do NOT allow them. I disagree with Disneys marketing (in all respects, but the Princesses most of all). Not only has Disney managed to market each individual princess in every way imaginable, but they have branded the actual color too. I also do not think the way the princesses have been illustrated is anything a child should be aspiring to.

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Controversial? No.

 

But they are not really to my liking. I wouldn't ban them if I had a daughter but I wouldn't be all over getting it for her either. I am not really happy with the doe eyed-makeup-pencil waist ideal thing.

 

:iagree: I have two girls and I just didn't like to do branded stuff all the time. We did not do Disney Princesses, but I sewed princess dresses for them. In green and indigo. :001_smile:

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I can't stand the Disney princesses or really much Disney at all. Some of it is the characters themselves, but even more of it is the marketing and merchandise. My husband is a serious Disney fanatic, as are some members of his family. It's really the only parenting decision we disagree on. I would have happily let my children grow up never knowing who the Disney princesses were. We only do movies in our house, and even those are rare, so the kids have only seen a couple of the movies. They have acquired an assortment of merchandise though.

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You need an other option. I have nothing against Disney princesses, but the Disney princess stories tend to be shallow. I love fairy tales and folk tales from many traditions, but the Disney stories always seem to fall short of the traditional tales they're inspired by.

 

My daughter generally preferred the "real" story to the Disney story.

 

My biggest beef with the Disney princesses is all the cheap, junky merchandise that is marketed to little girls.:ack2:

 

I'm hoping we can mostly avoid all that, even if this little one on her way turns out to be a girly-girl.

 

I have two girls and I just didn't like to do branded stuff all the time. We did not do Disney Princesses, but I sewed princess dresses for them. In green and indigo. :001_smile:

 

Agree with both of these comments too. We have spent a lot of time talking to both our kids about marketing, advertising, etc. We rarely bought licensed character merchandise for our kids.

 

We did once buy a Disney storybook at Costco. We read it once and were done. Then, a while later there was a different Disney storybook at Costco. My daughter wanted it. But once I showed her that the stories were the same, just repackaged to look like something different, she was really angry. I think she's held something against Disney since. ;)

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Controversial? No.

 

But they are not really to my liking.

 

:iagree: I have a DD, and she's aware of some of the Disney princesses just through exposure to other kids, discussion in dance class, etc. But we don't really do the movies, mostly because my DD is very sensitive and it would just be too much for her. We do very little TV or movies at all anyway, so if I'm going to put one on, it just isn't a priority.

 

I dislike the marketing, so I try to avoid buying anything with the Disney princesses, and DD doesn't seem to care, quite honestly. She likes generic princess play and so forth at times, but even that is not a frequent thing. At least that is more open ended IMO.

 

Our dance studio offers "Princess camp" in the summer and it all centers on Disney princesses :glare: Thankfully, normal class does not. With all of the interesting female roles in ballet, you would think perhaps something more classic and interesting could be the focus, but no, it is solely focused on the Disney princesses :tongue_smilie: (edited to add that we did not attend dance camp partly for that reason)

 

I voted for your first option, but that's a little too strongly worded for our situation. In our case, we don't really promote it, she doesn't get much exposure to it, so it hasn't really been a "ban" but more of a...I'm not going out of my way to introduce it or focus much on it type of situation :)

Edited by Momof3littles
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I dislike them with a fiery passion bordering on insanity. My issue is that they are not at all like the fairy tales upon which they are based. As a child I LOVED the original fairy tales (hello baby Goth!). "The Little Mermaid" and "Snow White and Red Rose" stories were my favorites. When I hear about how Disney changed TLM I raged. They killed the whole point to the story IMO. To me it was about untimely doing the right thing and making sure people don't suffer for your mistakes.

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I didn't answer the poll, because I'm anti-Disney Princess but not because they're bad role models or anything. I'm against the increased advertising of branded merchandise to younger and younger children. It exists solely to breed future consumers (women make 85% of household purchases, so there is significantly more advertising directed at girls these days, to train them into brand-loyal consumers), and I think that it narrows play (for example, my DD wants to be a princess for Halloween, and the near-universal reaction is "which one?" Because there are only 6, and they are the product of Disney, didn't you know?).

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I could take them or leave them. When my DD was young, she was more interested in Princess Leia than Cinderella. *I* like The Little Mermaid because she was a redhead in the movie (gotta support my peeps!).

 

WRT the marketing, I see it as no different than every superhero action movie that comes out. It is what it is.

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I dislike the marketing strategy behind them.

 

I think in moderation they're harmless.

 

I don't hold a grudge against Disney for retelling the tales because many of them have been retold for hundreds of years to suit the teller and the audience. The Grimm brothers retold them to suit their own preferences and prejudices. That's what we do with fables and stories.

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Well, I didn't know how to answer that. I do think they are controversial - ie there is controversy about them. However that doesn't say anything about which side of the controversy I find myself on.

 

We do allow some disney princess stuff. We talk about it a lot, and steer her toward the tales which are more appropriate. For example Mulan (who - in the Disney version - fights a war and saves her country, accidentally winning a man's heart in the process) irritates me a lot less than Snow White or Cinderella (both of whom exist only to find their princes, whose hearts they win by being pretty)

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I don't find them controversial and I think they are fine as subjects of literature. In fact many of them are great -- like Belle. It is the inescapable war host known as Disney marketing (that encourages adults and children to non-subtley smudge the line between Pixar fantasy and reality) that I find objectionable.

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I dislike the marketing strategy behind them.

 

I think in moderation they're harmless.

 

I don't hold a grudge against Disney for retelling the tales because many of them have been retold for hundreds of years to suit the teller and the audience. The Grimm brothers retold them to suit their own preferences and prejudices. That's what we do with fables and stories.

 

I also agree with this. I don't have an issue with altering and retelling traditional tales, that's what storytellers do, and what they have always done. Sometimes I disagree with Disney on which version is better, but still, they can tell it how they want.

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I'm another who needs an "other" :D

 

We've always limited character licensed merchandise. Most of it is junky- poor quality and not attractive (IMO). I really dislike strong product advertising to kids.

 

I have two girls, so we did lots with dress up princess dresses and fairy tales, just not Disney's version.

 

Because they loved the beautiful dresses, my girls collected the polly pocket sized Disney princess dolls when they were younger. Since they hadn't seen most of the movies, they just played with them like princesses from the fairy tales they knew.

 

I don't know if they are bad role models because I haven't seen the movies. :tongue_smilie:

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:iagree: I have a DD, and she's aware of some of the Disney princesses just through exposure to other kids, discussion in dance class, etc. But we don't really do the movies, mostly because my DD is very sensitive and it would just be too much for her. We do very little TV or movies at all anyway, so if I'm going to put one on, it just isn't a priority.

 

I dislike the marketing, so I try to avoid buying anything with the Disney princesses, and DD doesn't seem to care, quite honestly. She likes generic princess play and so forth at times, but even that is not a frequent thing. At least that is more open ended IMO.

 

Our dance studio offers "Princess camp" in the summer and it all centers on Disney princesses :glare: Thankfully, normal class does not. With all of the interesting female roles in ballet, you would think perhaps something more classic and interesting could be the focus, but no, it is solely focused on the Disney princesses :tongue_smilie:

 

I voted for your first option, but that's a little too strongly worded for our situation. In our case, we don't really promote it, she doesn't get much exposure to it, so it hasn't really been a "ban" but more of a...I'm not going out of my way to introduce it or focus much on it type of situation :)

 

Ditto this pretty much exactly (even down to the princess ballet camp at our dance school

Yuck-- we didn't participate).

We LOVE the fairy tales, but not the disney-fied versions. Dd has checked a few princess books out of the library but that's pretty much been her only exposure.

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OP here.

I have another question. Is there anything marketed more to boys that is considered similar? As in mass marketing, etc, etc?

Just curious, as I'm sitting here thinking about it and (with the exception of superhero movies, which aren't really geared toward children) I can't think of anything. But I may be missing things. :)

I just find it interesting that girls are being marketed to more than boys. But I guess that plays into the fact that women do more shopping?

Hmm... just pondering.

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It's been my observation that it's a generational thing.

 

The moms I know (or have read about like Peggy Orenstein) who are anti-Disney Princess tend to be all Baby Boomers who had their kids well into their middle age. They are anti-princess for the same reason that my Baby Boomer mom was anti-Barbie back when I was growing up. They can remember the bad old days of sexism from when they were young and they tend to reject anything that is frilly and traditionally feminine because they associate that with the discrimination they experienced/witnessed.

 

To me, this is throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I see it as a false dichotomy to force girls to choose between being strong & smart and liking fun girly-girl stuff including princesses.

 

I am fine with Disney Princesses in moderation, so long as my girls are also into other things like science and sports.

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I've run into quite a few families that ban or limit Disney princesses because they are disobedient or deceitful with thier parents.

 

The movies do not bother me, (although Snow White's voice makes me :ack2: ), but the story books are total drivel, and the merchandising is over-the-top-annoying.

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It's been my observation that it's a generational thing.

 

The moms I know (or have read about like Peggy Orenstein) who are anti-Disney Princess tend to be all Baby Boomers who had their kids well into their middle age. They are anti-princess for the same reason that my Baby Boomer mom was anti-Barbie back when I was growing up. They can remember the bad old days of sexism from when they were young and they tend to reject anything that is frilly and traditionally feminine because they associate that with the discrimination they experienced/witnessed.

 

Huh. Well, depending on which years you use, either my mother or my grandmother fall into the Baby Boom years. I'm certainly not a Boomer. :D And I was 21 when my first was born. Maybe I'm unusual though?

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I've run into quite a few families that ban or limit Disney princesses because they are disobedient or deceitful with thier parents.

 

That would be me.

 

The movies do not bother me, (although Snow White's voice makes me :ack2: ), but the story books are total drivel, and the merchandising is over-the-top-annoying.

 

Also me. :iagree:

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It's been my observation that it's a generational thing.

 

The moms I know (or have read about like Peggy Orenstein) who are anti-Disney Princess tend to be all Baby Boomers who had their kids well into their middle age. They are anti-princess for the same reason that my Baby Boomer mom was anti-Barbie back when I was growing up. They can remember the bad old days of sexism from when they were young and they tend to reject anything that is frilly and traditionally feminine because they associate that with the discrimination they experienced/witnessed.

 

To me, this is throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I see it as a false dichotomy to force girls to choose between being strong & smart and liking fun girly-girl stuff including princesses.

 

I am fine with Disney Princesses in moderation, so long as my girls are also into other things like science and sports.

 

:iagree:

 

I hate that too. It especially bugs me when there are little kid toys to tie in to movies that are PG-13.

 

Yes!! What is up with that???

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I've run into quite a few families that ban or limit Disney princesses because they are disobedient or deceitful with thier parents.

 

That would be me (particular princesses only).

 

The movies do not bother me, (although Snow White's voice makes me :ack2: ), but the story books are total drivel, and the merchandising is over-the-top-annoying.

 

Also me. :iagree:

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I've got a 4 yo girl who loves them and somehow knows who they all are, despite the fact that she hasn't seen even half the movies :001_huh: I know Tinkerbell is not technically one of the princesses, but she's very into Tinkerbell at the moment. It doesn't bother me too much, because she's into a bunch of other things as well. :001_smile: Oh, and I draw the line at Pocahontas. IIRC, the story line is quite inaccurate and I despise the music.

 

I agree with the PPs who said the books are dreadful. My (childless) SIL gave us a whole series of them one year for Christmas and they were terrible. Stills printed out from the movies paired with an entire page of teeny-tiny print. They went to Goodwill.

Edited by LemonPie
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I don't mind the movies, but I do try to severely limit the commercialism associated with princess stuff. I don't consider them controversial themselves, though.

 

ETA: We have several of the movies. My girls are too little and don't care yet, but I don't have any problem with them liking them if they so choose. I limit branded stuff for the most part, not just Disney. The only exception I can think of is Pooh, and we only have stuffed animals of him and his buddies, not clothes, shoes, backpacks, water bottles, etc.

Edited by MeaganS
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OP- you asked about boy stuff... um CARS.

 

About Tinkerbell- we recently listened to the original Peter Pean and, WOW, Tink is mean. She repeatedly tries to kill Wendy. And she swears. I'm glad Disney has cleaned her up a bit in her role as role-model. :)

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I couldn't vote. We do allow them, but I also think they can be controversial. I have friends that absolutely do not allow them . We don't have an issue with them, though.

 

:iagree: Me either.

 

Personally, I don't mind them at all and prefer them soooo much over the Monster High Dolls. I think those are just awful. I'm not sure how a beat up woman figure is suppose to appeal to girls or even what kind of message that is sending???

 

Anyway, we have some Disney Princess stuff, some other princess stuff. Some parents have an issue with anything.

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Yeah, I've heard the whole thing about how they're bad role models, or whatever, blah blah blah. I never pushed them on Rebecca - SHE became interested in them. I just don't think it's that big a deal. Shrug.

:iagree:My dd was introduced to Disney princesses by her older brother's fiance. DD likes them, watches the movies, and wants the stuff. It's not a big deal to me because she has plenty of other interests.

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OP- you asked about boy stuff... um CARS.

 

About Tinkerbell- we recently listened to the original Peter Pean and, WOW, Tink is mean. She repeatedly tries to kill Wendy. And she swears. I'm glad Disney has cleaned her up a bit in her role as role-model. :)

 

Spiderman.

The Hulk.

Iron Man.

Batman.

Spongebob (shudder)

Yep, Cars.

Did I mention Spiderman already?

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Sorry - we love them here.

My dd was very ill when she was two and a half and Sleeping Beauty pulled her through. We watched the DVD, read the book, played with the doll, etc... It was the only thing.

 

Of course my other dd had the same response to Barney when she was sick in the hospital.

 

I honestly think there is real evil in the world to worry about - croup, cancer, RSV, kidney failure... Just keep it In perspective

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