Ah, the Disney Princess—arguably Disney’s most prominent franchise figure. 

With princess movies being their most lucrative films, they’ve become a cornerstone of pop culture, enchanting and endearing generations of fans. 

However, they’ve also been the subject of debate: are they empowering role models? Or do they reinforce gender stereotypes?

From its roots with Snow White in 1937 to modern-day princesses like Raya, let’s put on our feminist glasses and analyze how their portrayals have evolved throughout history.

Early Disney Princesses: Damsels in Distress

The very first Disney princesses—Snow White (1937), Cinderella (1950), and Aurora (1959)—embodied the rigid roles the mid-19th century had for women.

They were demure, passive, and submissive (and beautiful, of course). More evident than their demeanor, however, was their role in the story as damsels in distress.

Their kindness and gentleness were on display, yes. But their purpose in the plot was to develop the prince, to inspire his heroism, and to be attractive as the prince’s object of desire. 

Truthfully, one could say that… Well, they didn’t really do that much before their prince charming came to rescue them in the end. 

It did little to explore the women’s individual personalities, ambitions, and problems—and therefore did much to perpetuate traditional gender roles, as iconic and beloved as they may be.

A New Generation of Princesses: Steps Toward Empowerment

After Aurora in 1959, it took Disney 30 years to return with princess movies with Ariel in 1989’s The Little Mermaid. This significant time gap reflects a significant shift in portrayal as well. 

Along with Ariel, we also soon got Belle in Beauty and the Beast (1991), Jasmine in Aladdin (1992), and Pocahontas (1995). They were considerably more complex and assertive as female protagonists, having unique personalities and motivations. 

However, some aspects of their character may send mixed signals, arguably stemming from patriarchal notions.

Take, for example, Belle: feisty and rebellious, eager to escape her underwater kingdom. Yet she still gives up her voice—and by extension, one could say, her individuality and agency—to be with Prince Eric.

Belle is an independent and intelligent bookworm, but the story still puts primacy in her beauty as she “tames the beast.”

Overall, while these princesses are still defined by their relationship with men, they feel all the more human and relatable.

Modern Princesses: Embracing Feminism

As feminism itself has evolved in the 21st century, now emphasizing diversity and solidarity with women of all backgrounds, so too have Disney princesses. 

Now coming from diverse backgrounds, Disney Princesses are now more nuanced, heroic, and independent than ever.

Tiana in The Princess and the Frog (2009) is the first African-American Disney princess. Her story focuses on her ambition, while still including romance. It’s a great example of how a female protagonist can still fall in love without limiting them to it.

Rapunzel in Tangled (2010) and Merida in Brave (2012) also play very active roles in their story. Tangled is all about Rapunzel’s escape while Brave has Merida blatantly rejecting the confines of traditional femininity. 

Elsa and Anna’s story from Frozen (2013) and Frozen 2 (2019) subverts the “true love” trope by focusing instead on sisterhood and familial love.

Moana (2016) and Raya from Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) represent Southeast Asian and Polynesian cultures and embark on dangerous quests that show their bravery, leadership, and heroism—things we’ve typically only come to expect from male heroes.

Conclusion: The Future of Disney Princesses and How to Consume Them Critically

Since Disney princess movies continue to be a key portrayal about the female experience for young girls across the world, it’s important to remain critical, even if Disney has come a long way.

There is always room for improvement—after all, we’re still ways off from a fully gender-equal world.

For example, while modern-day princesses are strong, complex, and independent, they all still conform to conventional beauty standards of Eurocentric features and slender bodies.

However, one thing Disney is getting right is the diversification of its princesses. It’s critical to consume diverse media to explore different cultural representations of women across the world. Only then can we expose ourselves to the full spectrum of female experience.

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And so, as Disney Princess movies will likely continue being produced and adored by new fans, we must keep having these critical discussions. 

Not only do they reflect the state of gender, power, and representation in broader society, but in doing so, also give us ideas of how we can further better it.