A couple of weeks ago, I took a train ride back up to new haven to visit my friend Claudine. Chloe is a pretty huge “Real Housewives…” fan. I am not. But while we were getting ready to go out one evening, she asked me if I had seen Saturday Night Lives spoof of the series: “The Real Housewives of Disney.”
I had not. But I am so glad you can find it online, because it’s pretty stinkin’ funny.
Check it out. really. Go ahead. I'll wait.
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/disney-housewives/1388796
So, I got to thinking about those Disney princesses… Which one of those fairy tale beauties do you identify with?
I have never been a big princess fan. I grew up with two older brothers and, consequently, I grew up a big tom boy. My poor mom had finally gotten her girl and I wanted nothing to do with dolls, Barbies, princesses, dresses, or pink anything.
Nope, give me jeans and dirt bikes, GI Joe and super heroes. What my brothers did, I wanted to do. Climb tress, build forts, ride dirt bikes in trails in the woods… Pink bike with a banana seat and handlebar streamers? No thank you. I’ll take the chrome Mongoose with the mag wheels. 
And that never really changed. I mean, sure, once I hit puberty, I did girl-it-up a little bit. I was happy to sprout boobs and start wearing make-up and shaving my legs. I even did a few babysitting stints alongside my cousin. But, still, my overall personality had developed into a girl who rarely took “no” for an answer. Competitive. Strong. And don’t you dare tell me that I can’t do something just because I’m a girl. In high school, I could do more pull-ups than some of the boys. As an adult, I went white 
water rafting with my husband and 10 other guys (one friend had to back out at the last minute and I was more than happy to take his place).
So, I think it took me until my freshman year of college before I finally connected with a Disney princess – when I saw Beauty and the Beast. For the first time (for me) I saw a feminine character who was strong, stood up for herself and took control. There was no prince who came in to rescue her. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that; I love the end of Pretty Woman when Edwards comes charging up the fire escape to “save” Vivian!) 
Despite the fact that The Little Mermaid came out before Beauty…, I saw it well afterwards and so Ariel was the second modern princess that I liked. And then came Jasmine in Aladdin. Most recently, of course is Rapunzel. Somehow, I managed to get my two boys to watch Tangled with me after it came out on 
video. We all loved it. And I’ve kind of been enamored with Rapunzel ever since. Or at least, the Disney version of her.
I mean, I guess it’s kind of obvious that the early princesses were portrayed as damsels in distress who had gallant princes who came in a saved the day. Snow White, Cinderella, Sleep Beauty… they were all before the women’s lib movement kicked in hard core. They were girly-girls, refined, house-wifeish. Even Belle and Jasmine are more reserved than I really like. And although I am a fairly traditional girl who still believes in chivalry and wants to be taken care of by her strong, manly husband, I am a product of my environment and the era in which I grew up.
So give me a princess who is smart, artistic and feminine through and through, but who isn’t afraid to be silly, brave and adventurous – a girl who can do the rescuing when the time and circumstances calls for it.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at 4:11PM 
