I decided to summarize and reflect on Barbara Ehrenreich’s “Bonfire of the Disney Princesses.” This chapter really drew my attention starting with the title. As someone who grew up loving princesses and truly believed I was a Disney princess for most of my life, the idea of throwing them into a fire and watching them burn is not the stereotypical way people tend to view princesses. And that’s exactly what made me want to read more.
From the very beginning, Ehrenreich makes it clear that she does not support what Disney Princess culture stands for. Her opening statement compares the risk of lead poisoning from toys to the way Disney Princess movies, merchandise, and messaging poison youth minds with patriarchal values. That comparison stuck with me. It made me think about how people worry so much about toy and food toxins but not the media toxicity.
Ehrenreich talks about how society wants to view princesses as role models, but in reality, they’re not. These characters are often in distress, trapped, or silenced, just waiting for a man to rescue them, rather than saving themselves. They aren’t portrayed as people with dreams or ambitions. They’re just waiting for their prince. Ehrenreich also makes a strong point that in many of these stories, aging equals evil (wicked stepmother trope).
In addition to the blatant sexism Disney pushes through its princesses, Ehrenreich also highlights the racial issues. She points to Mulan and Pocahontas, who break your stereotypical Disney trope of waiting for a man to save them and being independent and ironically, these are also the two Disney princesses of color, however, these two women of royalty are never seen in the beautiful gowns and the sparkle and glam. So what is Disney teaching us that as a young woman we can't be both we can't be fearless and beautiful. We can't have dreams and ambition and wear a sparkly dress while we do it?
And the major point Ehrenreich raises is the sexualization of the Disney Princesses. These characters, designed for young children, are often dressed in revealing outfits and given curvy. Ariel, for example, spends nearly the entire movie in a bikini top. And yet, we see children wearing these costumes, the sexualization of princesses contributes to the sexualization of children. And that’s something we need to take seriously.
I knew that reading this article was going to challenge my beliefs. I grew up a very girly child, believing in the sparkles, the pink, the glitz, and the glam. But reflecting now, these movies did show us that women are just here to wait for a man to save them. I think Disney needs to do better at creating princesses who are more than just characters waiting to be rescued. I also think Disney needs to do a better job of allowing their princesses of color to be both strong and fearless, while still getting to enjoy the glitz and glam. Women need to realize that they don’t have to pick between the two we can be and have everything
Nice job, Maya! I almost selected that chapter because I'm familiar with Ehrenreich and her sense of humor. This point you made -- "the sexualization of princesses contributes to the sexualization of children. And that’s something we need to take seriously" -- really resonated with me. Based on political rhetoric, it seems like Americans are in agreement that pedophile's are the worst. It's hypocritical that our society is ok with sexualizing young girls.
ReplyDelete"It made me think about how people worry so much about toy and food toxins but not the media toxicity."
ReplyDeleteMaya, this quote right here is so powerful.
I agree that Disney can and should do a better job with a lot of these things, but I also wonder if maybe we give too much power to these mega franchises like Disney. It's hard as a parent to push back against something that's literally branded on just about everything you can think of, but we can and should try to expose children to more than just the Mickey ears and the princess dresses... When I think about it, even some diapers have mickey branded on them, and when my kids were little there was a company called Baby Einstein that produced a very successful set of DVD's and toys for babies - as soon as it got successful enough Disney took it over.
I have a dozen books to recommend i you are ever ready to dive into more of the DIsney critique. Pleasure AND critique are both allowed, remember.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I was nervous about this because I love Disney princesses but after reading this I couldn't agree more! Taking this into how I raise Jas and reflecting on the kids culture around us
ReplyDeleteWow—thank you for sharing this incredibly powerful and honest reflection. Your voice deserves to be heard, and your podcast is clearly more than just an idea—it's a movement grounded in your lived experience, your values, and your deep belief in equity through education.
ReplyDeleteI was especially moved by the way you reclaimed your "loud personality" as a superpower—what others may have called “too much” has become your most valuable asset in reaching and inspiring students who, like you once did, feel invisible or overwhelmed by the college process. You are showing up in spaces that weren't built for us and using your presence to make sure the next generation doesn’t have to navigate them alone. That’s revolutionary.
Your insight into systemic barriers—how being low-income or first-gen or a person of color creates a different playing field—is honest and necessary. And your critique of traditional recruitment methods at RIC hits hard because it's true: if we don’t evolve with technology and meet students where they are, we miss them entirely.
I also love how you tied everything together with the course texts. Rita Pierson’s reminder that every kid needs a champion echoes in your work. And your critique of Disney, paired with Christensen's article, shows just how deeply you've been thinking about the messages students internalize before they ever walk into a college fair. The way you want to unlearn those myths for them—through a podcast or webinar series—feels both healing and strategic.
Even if your institution isn’t fully ready for the podcast, your idea to start with webinars is a brilliant step—and you now have both the vision and the tools to make it happen. Keep going. Students need your story. Higher ed needs your fire. And this podcast? It’s just the beginning.