So I am reading this study that was put out by a woman who decided to research the impact of Disney Princesses on little girls and how it can lead to damaging stereotypes. I’ll admit that I am having a hard time not rolling my eyes.
She ‘discovered’ in her study that too much exposure to the Disney princesses can cause your daughter to feel like some things in life are not ‘girly’ enough for her including making good grades in science and math. She studied 198 preschoolers and discovered that a year later, the more interactions with the princesses caused more predictable female gender-stereotypical behavior a year later. So we are talking about studying 4 year olds and making conclusions with 5 year olds.
Here is a direct quote from the researcher Sarah M. Coyne: “We know that girls who strongly adhere to female gender stereotypes feel like they can’t do some things. They’re not as confident that they can do well in math and science. They don’t like getting dirty, so they’re less likely to try and experiment with things.”
But on the other hand, if you expose your son to Disney Princesses, it’s a great thing. It leads them to have better body esteem and to help more with their peers.
Perhaps this researcher should have studied girls at 4 years old and again at 12 years old and I would be willing to entertain her study a little more. Because who my daughter was at 5 is NOT who she is now at 12. She loved Disney Princesses when she was 4-8 years old. Then she moved on to My Little Pony, Monster High, Ever After High, American Girl, etc. My daughter is willing to do and try anything. She doesn’t find herself discouraged because birds don’t make her clothes or fairies don’t do her homework. She is a confident, well adjusted, young woman who makes all A’s in science and math.
I just finished reading the book In Defense of the Princess by Jerramy Fine. In it she discussed the positive influence Disney princesses and their values have upon girls and women. Recommended reading!
I saw this on the news yesterday and it hurt my heart. I grew up watching princess movies and pretending to be a princess and I’m pretty darn confident….a little too much of you ask my siblings. :) My two girls (8 & 10) love themselves a good princess movie, playing with their Disney Princess dolls and pretending to be mermaids in our pool. They also get nearly perfect scores in math and science (their dad is a math teacher), enjoy various sports, work hard to contubute to our home, and are some of the sweetest girls I know. So, I decided to turn up my Disney soundtracks to block out the noise, let them be a princess for now because they’re only little for a little while, and let the grumps be grumps. They exist to tell others how to live and are probably perpetually grumpy because their parents never took them to Disney World. ;)
Hi Krisrin, this study is rediculous. My 11 year old daughter, who is on Principal’s Honor Roll and at a school for advanced studies, has LOVED the princesses before she could talk. She also is an accomplished dancer and participates in local theater. Maybe this dr needs to look at family settings, and not fantasy. Your daughter can do whatever and be whatever she dreams!!