Comments on: Disney’s “Sofia the First” still tells kids to be pretty princesses http://www.about-face.org/disneys-sofia-the-first-still-tells-kids-to-be-pretty-princesses/ Wed, 05 Jun 2013 08:05:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Jason http://www.about-face.org/disneys-sofia-the-first-still-tells-kids-to-be-pretty-princesses/#comment-20704 Jason Tue, 24 Jul 2012 21:21:41 +0000 http://www.about-face.org/?p=9712#comment-20704 If I'm doing my job as a parent, then I don't need to worry about a CARTOON superseding the character and integrity I instill in my own child. If I’m doing my job as a parent, then I don’t need to worry about a CARTOON superseding the character and integrity I instill in my own child.

]]> By: Viola http://www.about-face.org/disneys-sofia-the-first-still-tells-kids-to-be-pretty-princesses/#comment-7922 Viola Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:06:23 +0000 http://www.about-face.org/?p=9712#comment-7922 My little friend would love to be like her, but her momma raises her well. No skinny waists at this house! My little friend would love to be like her, but her momma raises her well. No skinny waists at this house!

]]> By: Mama Kim http://www.about-face.org/disneys-sofia-the-first-still-tells-kids-to-be-pretty-princesses/#comment-7055 Mama Kim Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:05:58 +0000 http://www.about-face.org/?p=9712#comment-7055 At the very least, if you're going to make a child protagonist, give her a child-like body! This "shrunken" princess has an impossibly tiny waist--it appears it would fit 3 times across her forehead! A character with a body more like Lilo or Dora would be so much more appropriate for this age range, and there are very appealing images of Dora dressed as a princess. Also, a more mainstream girl could play at being a princess but also explore many of the other possibilities more applicable to most children's futures (and reflecting more interests besides just princesses), such as working with animals, working in medical fields, teaching, mothering, working in an office, and the list goes on and on. How about a show where a girl imagines herself to be various different things each time and the viewers get to learn more about those things? It could certainly include princesses, but also doctors and nurses, oceanographers, veterinarians, farmers, and so much more. If done well, it could be very entertaining and educational and such a positive role model. And, on the monetary side of things, think of all the different types of outfits they could sell for her to wear! At the very least, if you’re going to make a child protagonist, give her a child-like body! This “shrunken” princess has an impossibly tiny waist–it appears it would fit 3 times across her forehead! A character with a body more like Lilo or Dora would be so much more appropriate for this age range, and there are very appealing images of Dora dressed as a princess.

Also, a more mainstream girl could play at being a princess but also explore many of the other possibilities more applicable to most children’s futures (and reflecting more interests besides just princesses), such as working with animals, working in medical fields, teaching, mothering, working in an office, and the list goes on and on. How about a show where a girl imagines herself to be various different things each time and the viewers get to learn more about those things? It could certainly include princesses, but also doctors and nurses, oceanographers, veterinarians, farmers, and so much more. If done well, it could be very entertaining and educational and such a positive role model. And, on the monetary side of things, think of all the different types of outfits they could sell for her to wear!

]]> By: Magdalena http://www.about-face.org/disneys-sofia-the-first-still-tells-kids-to-be-pretty-princesses/#comment-6715 Magdalena Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:17:02 +0000 http://www.about-face.org/?p=9712#comment-6715 I totally agree. If they wanted to make a younger character, they had a fabulous opportunity to come up with someone original who their audience could really relate to. Making her a princess just seems like laziness and lack of creativity. I totally agree. If they wanted to make a younger character, they had a fabulous opportunity to come up with someone original who their audience could really relate to. Making her a princess just seems like laziness and lack of creativity.

]]> By: Stacey http://www.about-face.org/disneys-sofia-the-first-still-tells-kids-to-be-pretty-princesses/#comment-6688 Stacey Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:43:39 +0000 http://www.about-face.org/?p=9712#comment-6688 I'd be interested to see the types of stories that are going to be associated with this character. While I agree that the typical white, unattainably skinny and beautiful image of the character is problematic, maybe they will at least have good, meaningful, and valuable story lines to go with the character? But then again, I think it's problematic in the first place that Disney's ideal female character is <i>always</i> a princess. Is a princess all we want little girls to aspire to be? Though it's obvious that these young girls who are watching Disney movies/TV series will not become princesses, Disney seems to be setting up other qualities young girls should strive for: Wealth, beauty, a prince, purity, etc. None of these are realistic or healthy in themselves. I’d be interested to see the types of stories that are going to be associated with this character. While I agree that the typical white, unattainably skinny and beautiful image of the character is problematic, maybe they will at least have good, meaningful, and valuable story lines to go with the character? But then again, I think it’s problematic in the first place that Disney’s ideal female character is always a princess. Is a princess all we want little girls to aspire to be? Though it’s obvious that these young girls who are watching Disney movies/TV series will not become princesses, Disney seems to be setting up other qualities young girls should strive for: Wealth, beauty, a prince, purity, etc. None of these are realistic or healthy in themselves.

]]> By: Elisabeth Foreman http://www.about-face.org/disneys-sofia-the-first-still-tells-kids-to-be-pretty-princesses/#comment-6589 Elisabeth Foreman Sun, 15 Jan 2012 20:56:17 +0000 http://www.about-face.org/?p=9712#comment-6589 This is terrible news! I have always felt that the Disney princesses have negative psychological impact on young girls and boys, but this new character is even more mentally dissolving because of the fact that she is not an aspirational goal for a child, but an actual peer in that the child will feel inadequate. Disney is not headed in the direction I would like to see it go in. This is terrible news! I have always felt that the Disney princesses have negative psychological impact on young girls and boys, but this new character is even more mentally dissolving because of the fact that she is not an aspirational goal for a child, but an actual peer in that the child will feel inadequate. Disney is not headed in the direction I would like to see it go in.

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