What Is the Disney Princess Name in Brave
'Disney should be ashamed of themselves': Brave co-director criticizes Merida's princess make-over for 'blatant sexism'
- A petition to reverse the redesign has been signed by 173,000 people
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Brenda Chapman@ The Brave writer and co-director has publicly criticized Disney's controversial makeover of the film's feisty heroine, Merida
Brave writer and co-director, Brenda Chapman, has publicly criticized Disney's controversial makeover of the film's feisty heroine, Merida, as 'a blatantly sexist marketing move based on money.'
Merida, the headstrong Disney princess with a frizzy mop of red hair and a knack for archery, was a welcome role model for little girls when Pixar released Brave last year.
But the spunky heroine, who was officially crowned Disney's 11th princess on Saturday, underwent a royal makeover which last week left many mothers furious and frustrated.
Ms Chapman, who modeled Merida on her 13-year-old daughter, Emma, creating her as a role model for little girls, said revealed that has given Bob Iger, president of Walt Disney International, 'a piece of my mind'.
In an email to the Marin Independent Journal on Saturday, she wrote: 'There is an irresponsibility to this decision that is appalling for women and young girls.
'Disney marketing and the powers that be that allow them to do such things should be ashamed of themselves.'
Merida's springy curls had been smoothed out into neat waves, her waist made thinner, eyes wider, cheekbones higher; and most importantly, she lost her trusty bow and arrow.
A petition, which has so far garnered nearly 174,000 signatures, is being spread by parents in an effort to convince Disney to reverse the redesign.
Created by female empowerment website, A Mighty Girl, the change.org petition argues that Disney is doing a 'tremendous disservice to the millions of children for whom Merida is an empowering role model.'
The original Merida, who rode through the Scottish Highlands shooting arrows with conviction, ' speaks to girls' capacity to be change agents in the world rather than just trophies to be admired,' states the petition, created by A Might Girl co-founder, Carolyn Danckaert.
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Before and after: Merida, Brave's feisty heroine who was officially crowned Disney's 11th princess last week, underwent a royal make-over which has left mothers furious and frustrated
'Moreover, by making her skinnier, sexier and more mature in appearance, you are sending a message to girls that the original, realistic, teenage-appearing version of Merida is inferior; that for girls and women to have value -- to be recognized as true princesses -- they must conform to a narrow definition of beauty.'
One mother mourning the loss of Merida's uninhibited, sporty look, is Glamour.com beauty writer, Petra Guglielmetti.
'Having a curly-haired daughter has changed my feelings about hair texture in this world. More specifically, I wish there were more celebration of natural curls in our popular culture,' wrote the mother-of-two.
' Those curls have definitely been smoothed a bit. They're more like Victoria's Secret model waves now'
'So you can imagine how I feel about the news that Disney has given a keratin treatment to its heroine Merida. Yeah, those curls have definitely been smoothed a bit. They're more like Victoria's Secret model waves now.'
Merida, lauded for her refreshing representation of an authentic teenager, was originally created to offer little girls a 'different kind of princess,' according to Ms Chapman.
Ms Chapman envisaged Merida as 'a stronger princess that both mothers and daughters could relate to, so mothers wouldn't be pulling their hair out when their little girls were trying to dress or act like this princess,' she said. 'Instead they'd be like, "Yeah, you go girl!"'
Brave to beautiful: Merida's springy curls hhad been smoothed out into neat waves, her waist made thinner, eyes wider, cheekbones higher; and most importantly, she lost her trusty bow and arrow
In her original form, Merida inspired young girls ; teaching them that 'imperfections' and 'appealing' could go hand in hand, argued Ms Danckaert, whose A Might Girl website sells books, toys, films, and clothing for 'smart, confident, and courageous girls'.
She explained: 'Merida inspired countless young girls by showing them that they too could go off on adventures and save the day; that it's not about how you looked that matters but what kind of person you are.
'With Merida, girls finally had a princess role model that looked like a real girl, complete with the "imperfections" that made her such a unique and appealing character.'
Peggy Orenstein, the author of Cinderella Ate My Daughter, which looks at how princess culture affects young girls, is also against the redesign.
The writer, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her daughter, Daisy, said: 'In the end, it wasn't about being brave after all. It was about being pretty.'
Disney's princesses: Merida joined the likes of Cinderella, Snow White, and Pocahontas to become Disney's 11th princess on Saturday, May 11
But little girls, perhaps proving the petition's concerns, seem to support Merida's gold-trimmed dress and newly tamed hair.
Three-year-old Beatrix Bakken, a fan of the animated film from Palo Alto, California, told MailOnline: 'I like her after, in the blue dress. She's pretty.'
And when four-year-old New Yorker, Caroline Aebersold, was asked what she thought of the new Merida, she replied: 'I think I like the new Brave better because it looks like there is snow falling on her dress.'
Her mom, Comer, 34, who is adverse to letting Caroline engage with Disney's princesses because 'they don't "do" anything except look attractive,' said her main contention with the new Merida is the absence of her bow and arrow.
'Couldn't she be "pretty" and powerful?' she asked.
What Is the Disney Princess Name in Brave
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2324593/Disney-ashamed-Brave-director-criticizes-Meridas-princess-make-blatant-sexism.html
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