However, it seems to me that Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle and Jasmine are featured much more than Pocahontas and Mulan. It may be simply the popularity of the Pocahontas and Mulan films are not comparable to the other princesses’. But, it certainly does not escape notice that Pocahontas and Mulan are very ethnic looking, whereas, the other princesses are not.  Or, in the case of Jasmine, not overtly so.

Even though we try to limit our daughters’ exposure to certain films, instead giving them choices like Cinderella staring Brandy and a multi-racial cast, they still idolize the Disney princesses. My eldest is a Belle fanatic and my youngest loves Ariel. These are two white skinned thin “beauties” with exaggerated features and long flowing hair that look very different than my girls or their mother (my girls and their mother are more beautiful). I realize it is not just looks they are attracted to but also the dream world in which the characters live and the happy ending to which we all supposedly aspire but the package is sold as a whole.

I could also list of litany of racist characters that Disney and other children’s media providers have brought to life, including depictions of blacks, Arabs, American Indians and more. But, to their credit, the world’s most well-recognized provider of children’s entertainment has come a long way from the time of Dumbo, where black stereotypes were represented by crows and dark-skinned faceless men who did menial work.

I am not writing this to bash Disney or anyone else. A good number of corporations that have the ability to inundate us with their product are becoming more politically correct and socially aware. In fact, the reason I chose the Disney Princess to focus on is because this December Disney will release a movie called The Princess and the Frog which will feature the first black princess in its 86 year history. Moreover, I am very excited because Princess Tiana will share the screen with a prince (Naveen of the Kingdom of Maldonia) who is of yet another ethnicity. So, it is not only representing a black princess but an interracial relationship as well, which is also very rare (if you don’t count humans and beasts).

http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/princessandthefrog/

Don’t get me wrong, if Disney didn’t think they would make money, this may not have happened and, there is still plenty of exposure to racism, sexism, homophobia and prejudice in this culture. But, I am elated that my girls will get to see a lead character that looks more like them and a love relationship that somewhat resembles their parents’ (but with better songs).

But, is it enough? Will it ever be enough? I ask that because it may be just human nature to label and stereotype. Further, as far as defining beauty, whether blond, blue-eyed or black curly hair and brown eyes becomes the standard, necessarily, won’t the other variations still be just that – other? Or, as we become a more progressive society, will the “standard for beauty” become a thing of the past and we finally realize that all people are beautiful?

My kids’ generation is growing up with more and more heterogeneous and true-to-life visual representations of humankind in the media than I did. Maybe that, in conjunction with parents talking to their children about what they see will, hopefully, lead to a time when people are not judged and defined by their looks but respected for who they are as individuals, where people of different races are not hated and inter-racial relationships are not feared.

Nevertheless, in this moment and with the release of this movie, I think there is cause for celebration. It gives me hope that we, as a culture, are aware of the direction in which we must move. I would encourage everyone to go out and pay way too much for a Princess Tiana doll for their kids. But, valuing materialism is another issue altogether.