#3 Tale As Old As Time...

As I lay sprawled out on my bed last weekend, water bottle and Kleenex in hand, I popped my Christmas present into the DVD player of my laptop and felt  my sickness woes fade into Disney bliss. Yes, my dad gave me--a 21 year old, soon-to-be graduate of Notre Dame--the Beauty and the Beast DVD for Christmas. And I can honestly say it was my favorite gift, finding its way into our home DVD player shortly after unwrapping.

Belle and the townspeople strolled across the screen, and my mind wandered to Peggy Orenstein's new book, Cinderella Ate My Daughter....    are Disney princesses really that bad for the girls of today?

Belle was my idol as a little girl; it was so bad, that I would stop the movie right before the opening scene of Belle singing downtown in her village so that I could position myself right outside the living room and parade in to the room singing right along with the French beauty. Not to mention the Beauty and the Beast tent and sleeping bag, apparel, and story tapes (that I fell asleep to every night) that found their home in my bedroom.

Now, yes.. I seem to have been a little obsessed. But I think it was for the right reasons:

1. Belle's undying love for books and reading. I could not get enough of reading and often would get in trouble for staying up too late with a book. 
2. The way Belle did not settle for the jerk of the village, although Gaston was the most "handsome" around. Her ability to see Gaston's true character and realize that she deserved better than that resonated even in my young, immature heart. 
3. Her yearning for something more, something more exciting and fulfilling than staying in the same little town. 
4. Her love for her father. Need I say more?
5. Belle's ability to look past the appearance of the Beast, and realize that all he needed was some guidance, love, and a friend. 

                                (Belle's wish for something more..than that "boorish, brainless" Gaston..)

I didn't view Ariel as someone who changed herself for a man--I saw her stubbornness, her loyalty to her family, her bravery, and the importance of true love. Cinderella emphasized the idea of friendship, as the mice scurried around to help our their friend. Jasmine demonstrated the ability to stand up for herself and think on her feet. I developed into an independent (sometimes too much so), stubborn, self-sufficient, ambitious young woman....despite (?) my Disney childhood.

I know that on some level, there is a negative message that can be gleaned from anything, even Disney movies. And yes, immersing a little girl in the frilly, pink, girly culture of Barbies, princesses, and pageantry is something that should probably be controlled with a rule of moderation. But I think that is the key: moderation. It also seems to be overlooked that there is parenting involved in a child's upbringing--the girl is not just turned loose in the world of frills and tiaras. If good values and strong virtue is being reinforced by the parents, a little Disney princess is not a bad thing. After all, every little girl should get the opportunity to feel like a princess for a little while...