Growing up, I lived in an environment in which I was forbidden from reading “Harry Potter” until I was a teenager for fear that I would practice witchcraft myself, so it was not surprising that I didn’t know what it meant to be LGBTQ until nearly middle school. However, if there was a lesbian princess to show me that sometimes girls liked other girls, I might have had an easier time coming to terms with this reality.
With the release of “Moana,” Disney has expanded its ever-growing effort to diversify its characters, specifically its princesses. Yet there are still a good number of underrepresented minorities who have not found their ways to the big screens, and who I doubt ever will in my lifetime.
The turn of the century brought about a shift in characters, from the traditionally fragile damsels in distress like Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, to more dynamic and racially diverse characters, like Mulan, Tiana and most recently Moana, Disney’s first Pacific Islander princess.
While Disney has made a conscious and apparent effort to be more racially inclusive, groups such as the LGBTQ community, Muslims and those with mental or physical handicaps have been neglected.
As Disney is a global enterprise with a large following of several of these groups, both it and its viewers would benefit from seeing some of these additions.
Nearly 9.5 million in the U.S. alone identify as LGBTQ according to Williams Institute at UCLA, and it is estimated by Pew Research Center that there are over 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide.
Equal representation of these groups can expand Disney’s audience and further allows it to touch the hearts of viewers.
These princesses give children role models to look up to, empowering them with the message that their characteristics are what make them beautiful. If not to inspire, they open children’s minds to accepting the diversity in society from an early age.
Despite it all, I highly doubt Disney will take these steps forward.
While it may not be too difficult to dream up a princess with a prosthetic leg or a BFF Seeing Eye dog, making them a reality would anger too many parents and sponsors.
Their existence is simply too bold for both Disney and our time, so for now, they must remain “a wish my heart makes.”
TCHS School Newspaper