Disney Princesses: Sexualization Hidden Behind Innocent Faces

Hello future English 102 students!

My research topic was about the sexualization of Disney princesses and how they affect young girls.

Abstract

When young girls are asked the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” a lot of the times, they yell out in joy, “A princess!” Disney princesses are one of the biggest influences in children, especially in young girls today. They are known as the role models for girls to fantasize about and who they pretend to be. Although this may seem as an innocent play for girls to pass the time, overall there are many negative affects that can overtime be instilled into girls who are constantly exposed to these princesses. My research was based on figuring out how Disney princesses are sexualized and how this type of sexualization affects girls and their self-images. I found out that almost all Disney princesses and female characters are sexualized in many forms, even when on the surface it may not seem like it. I also found out that this sexualization of characters affects young girls greatly, and usually they don’t even realize it. Overall, I came to the conclusion that there are actually more bad than good in using Disney princesses as role models for young girls who are learning how to act and behave by watching these films as they grow up. 

Advice

• Everyone has already said this because we couldn't emphasize it enough: DO. NOT. PROCRASTINATE. Seriously. You're going to die. And then you're going to have to come back to life to finish the paper and it's just not a good feeling. Don't do it.
• That being said, the earlier you start, the easier it will be to finish the paper and do a good job on it. Just do little by little every day so you don't have to take on a bunch of research and writing all at once. 
• Make sure you spend a good amount of time finding credible and helpful sources. Solid sources will really help your paper and make it better. 

Good luck! 

Sources

Bisbo, Ashley. “Fairytale Dreams: Disney Princesses’ Effect on Young Girls’ Self-Images.” Rutger’s School of Arts and Sciences.8. (2014): 1-15. Web.

Hill, Kiara M. “The Making of a Disney Princess.” McNair Scholars Journal.11. (2014): 83-94. Web. 

Kincheloe, Joe L., and Shirley R. Steinberg. “Kinderculture: The Corporate Construction of Childhood.” Westview Press. 33.3. (2004): 212-216. Web.

Milkie, Melissa A. “Social comparisons, reflected appraisals, and mass media: The impact of persuasive beauty images on black and white girls' self concepts.” Social Psychology Quarterly. 62. (1999): 190-210. Web. 

O'Brien, Pamela C. “The happiest films on earth: A textual and contextual analysis of

Walt Disney's Cinderella and The Little Mennaid.” Women's Studies in

Communication. 19. (1997). 155-183. Web. 

Olfman, Sharna. The Sexualization of Childhood. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc., 2009. Print.