I know this is a touchy topic, so I've tried to tread it in the best way I could! It is not my intention to offend anyone or misrepresent this topic, so if I did I'd love to improve on it and fix my mistakes. I hope you enjoy reading!

For a group of people that claim to be supporting of all women and their ventures, the mistreatment that the classic princesses very often get from them is rather surprising. To a majority of feminists, the women they are catering to is the new-age, I can do it all superwoman. They believe that all women should fit into that box and if they don't, they're deprived, misguided, and backwards. The Classic Princesses are what many feminists would think of as men-slaving monsters, whose only desire is to have a man, to cater to a man, to be loved by a man? Is that true? Heck no!

Let's look at Snow White. At the beginning of the film, she's singing about wanting someone to love her, which is innocent enough. Snow White is living in a situation where the only human she's ever been in contact with, or at least only human she's been in contact with that we've seen, is her evil step mother. Snow probably heard stories growing up about gallant knights and princes coming to save the princess and she wished that of herself. She wished to have someone who could show her love and that isn't a problem whatsoever. She meets him, is overjoyed, but it's not as if she's all over him and has lost all self dignity (and even if she was, it wouldn't be an issue..women have every right to throw themselves at men if they wish). She remains composed and not at all men-obsesed like the media likes to paint classic princesses. Then she loses him and doesn't even dwell on it. She sings a song about it, but that's far from dwelling. One could say that she actually takes it extremely well, moving on rather quickly and accepting the fact that she's lost him while still remaining hopeful to see him once again.



Next let's look at Cinderella. Cinderella hardly even once even mentions a desire of finding a man! Cinderella seems rather content without a man, if anything her wish is just to get out of her abusive household. When she does find Prince Charming at the ball, he seems to the one more infatuated with her than she is of him. A lot of Cinderella's criticism from "feminists" though isn't that she desperately wanted a man, but rather that she supports the stereotype that women are destined to do household chores with a smile and not rebel. To this argument, I can only simply ask, have you seen the movie? Cinderella cannot simply get up and walk out of her situation, and like I previously said, there's nothing wrong with women doing and even liking traditional activities. If a woman enjoys cooking, she should cook. If she hates cooking, she should order takeout every night. It's as simple as that, and neither the first nor second is "better" or "more feminist" than the other.



Aurora's situation too is very similar to Snow. She's grown up all her life isolated, the only human contact being three old women, so her desires to find a prince and be whisked away are hardly irrational. She's even willing to give him up so that she can fulfill her duties, which again proves she is hardly man-slaving. Phillip is the one who is willing to risk his life for the woman he loves after only meeting her once, why doesn't he get the flack? Why is it always the women who are getting attacked for things that men do just as bad if not worse? Aurora's demure behavior makes her an easy target to so called "feminists" claiming she is a bad role model to little girls because she doesn't stand up and fight the system, but girls should be subject to a wide range of personalities growing up. Not everyone has to outspoken, loud, and rash, other personalities are important for little girls to see as well so they know that they are okay being exactly how they are.

So it's rather obvious that the classics are anything but irrationally man obsessed, but the real question is if they were, would it be a problem? The answer to that question is no, in my opinion. The very mission, or at least so called mission, of feminists is to give all women the freedom to make choices, have opinions, be equals. If a woman wants to be loved be a man, wants to be a housewife, that doesn't make her backwards and misguided, it makes her someone capable of having opinions for herself. Whether a woman is rash and "doesn't need no man" like Merida or a princess simply wishes for her prince charming like Snow White, she still represents important qualities for all girls. One is not a better role model than the other, and one is definitely not "more feminist" than the other. Rapping our heads around the fact that the Classics may not fit the modern archetype of what it means to be a strong female character will begin to show little girls that they can show their strength in multiple ways, and that asking from help from others, may it possibly be a man, is okay.

Thanks for reading <3 Comments, discussions and disagreements are welcome! I know this is a touchy topic, I tried to represent it in the best way I could, but if you have any objections in how I presented this topic I'd love to hear and improve on it! In no way was I trying to make anyone offended or in any way make the Classics better or "more feminist" than the other princesses. Much love and have a great day everyone!