The Princess Complex

Disney is my favorite thing in the entire world. My goal in life is to become a Disney princess and perform on stage in Magic Kingdom as Cinderella. So I will of course be biased toward defending something that shaped my childhood. As far as the “princess complex” goes, I definitely believe it exists in people, as shown in Honey Boo Boo and Toddlers & Tiaras. I will say, however, I grew up watching every Disney movie, and I do not feel that I have this complex. Not every person is prone to having this complex if they watched princess movies. Princesses can show power in women, like Merida from “Brave,” or Mulan. I firmly believe that nowadays, Disney is getting away from the “I need a man” type of thinking, and moving more into showing women in powerful roles. I personally think this started with Mulan, defending her father’s honor and her country. Yes, in the end she got the guy, but that was not her goal the entire movie.

            Shows like Toddlers & Tiaras make me sick to my stomach. I was never a pageant kid, but I did things like show choir in high school. That type of exposure to the stage made me love it, and that’s why I want to perform on stage at Disney World. Not only because I love Cinderella, but also because I love performing in general. That reason combined with my love of children, and princesses, have shaped why that is my dream. The “princess complex” is definitely a thing to be scared of, but not every girl who grew up watching princess movies will grow up like that.