My friend invited me to join her in Disney world in November - she prefaced it with, "I know how you feel about Disney....but..."
I have accidentally offended her more than once about her children's (2 daughters) obsession with Disney princesses. The money, the idealistic beauty of the princesses, the princesses happily ever after story, the rescue from a "prince" that never actually shows up in real life.... and the list goes on.
My parents brought me to Disney once - at 13 years old. It was fun. Space Mountain was my favorite!
My Mom read to me every night when I was little - I assume she also read me princess/Disney stories. But more so, she read me chapter books. My favorite was "Old Yeller." I think this experience with literacy informed my ambivalence to Disney - I could give or take it. More so, I tried to steal my brother's GI Joes and Transformers and bike. Until my parents finally got me my own electric 4 wheeler at around the age of 5. The other thing I was obsessed with is puzzles - tree and geography puzzles.
The other thing that protected me from the "love" of Disney is my Mom's traditional cultural and family values - my room was decorated in traditional colonial style. And when I was growing up, MTV was also off limits! So, my Mom unknowingly ( I think ) instilled other little obsessions in me.
....The ride from the airport to the Disney "Compound" (I had to - she was supposed to go with her husband who she was not getting a divorce from) was unsettling to say the least. The airport has been Disneyified. The coach buses have screens that come down and "Disney people" talk to you -- THE ENTIRE RIDE (about 40 minutes). My friend allowed me to have my reaction about brainwashing - then I tried to let it go for the next 48 hours so we could enjoy ourselves.
Brave was cool because the Princess was subversive and challenged her family to secure her own fate. I would say it is a start. It was a little disappointing at the end because the princess ended up taking on "This is all my fault..." guilt. Can the kids access the message - fight for and be committed to yourself and live in your truth? The extreme she had to go to live her in truth was a lot - Mom turned into a bear. Would children be able to connect the dots that a paradigm shift has to happen among the parents? Why did Mom have to nearly be killed by Dad? Did she have to lose her 3 brothers to "bearhood" for her to live in her truth?
It was cool that the princess was the heroine and "saved" mom - cool because it wasn't her dad or another man. It's a start. She created the problem, then solved it for herself - that is great. She relied on the witch and her 3 baby brothers, not another man. She was also strong in all of the "male" activities - archery, fishing, riding a horse, speaking up, etc...
It is a start. I would love to see a "princess" live in her truth without it being prompted by romance or a man.
Another weird thing, why soo much cleavage from the house maid?
I have accidentally offended her more than once about her children's (2 daughters) obsession with Disney princesses. The money, the idealistic beauty of the princesses, the princesses happily ever after story, the rescue from a "prince" that never actually shows up in real life.... and the list goes on.
My parents brought me to Disney once - at 13 years old. It was fun. Space Mountain was my favorite!
My Mom read to me every night when I was little - I assume she also read me princess/Disney stories. But more so, she read me chapter books. My favorite was "Old Yeller." I think this experience with literacy informed my ambivalence to Disney - I could give or take it. More so, I tried to steal my brother's GI Joes and Transformers and bike. Until my parents finally got me my own electric 4 wheeler at around the age of 5. The other thing I was obsessed with is puzzles - tree and geography puzzles.
The other thing that protected me from the "love" of Disney is my Mom's traditional cultural and family values - my room was decorated in traditional colonial style. And when I was growing up, MTV was also off limits! So, my Mom unknowingly ( I think ) instilled other little obsessions in me.
....The ride from the airport to the Disney "Compound" (I had to - she was supposed to go with her husband who she was not getting a divorce from) was unsettling to say the least. The airport has been Disneyified. The coach buses have screens that come down and "Disney people" talk to you -- THE ENTIRE RIDE (about 40 minutes). My friend allowed me to have my reaction about brainwashing - then I tried to let it go for the next 48 hours so we could enjoy ourselves.
Brave was cool because the Princess was subversive and challenged her family to secure her own fate. I would say it is a start. It was a little disappointing at the end because the princess ended up taking on "This is all my fault..." guilt. Can the kids access the message - fight for and be committed to yourself and live in your truth? The extreme she had to go to live her in truth was a lot - Mom turned into a bear. Would children be able to connect the dots that a paradigm shift has to happen among the parents? Why did Mom have to nearly be killed by Dad? Did she have to lose her 3 brothers to "bearhood" for her to live in her truth?
It was cool that the princess was the heroine and "saved" mom - cool because it wasn't her dad or another man. It's a start. She created the problem, then solved it for herself - that is great. She relied on the witch and her 3 baby brothers, not another man. She was also strong in all of the "male" activities - archery, fishing, riding a horse, speaking up, etc...
It is a start. I would love to see a "princess" live in her truth without it being prompted by romance or a man.
Another weird thing, why soo much cleavage from the house maid?
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