Before 7-year-olds had cell phones, Facebook accounts and Netflix, they spent their days watching imaginative Disney movies in hard, plastic cases.
Each Christmas when I was a child, I eagerly opened my gifts in hopes of finding the infamous Disney logo scrawled across the top of the newly-released video.
Would it be a movie where animals were given voices and human characteristics? Or maybe it would be a story about a hero’s victory over temptation?
Or, would it be what I really hoped for — a beautiful princess living happily ever after with her prince?
When graceful characters like Cinderella, Belle and Snow White danced onto my screen — or swam, in Ariel’s case — I couldn’t help but imagine growing up to be just like them. These princesses were beautiful, sensitive and generous.
Growing up with Disney movies, not only did I wish I were as pretty as Cinderella, but I also hoped I would fall into a blissful, fairy-tale romance with a dark-haired prince. As adolescence began, I quickly realized both desires were unrealistic.
As the movie would end and the princess would ride off into the sunset with her prince, I would dreamily sigh and imagine my future boyfriends to be the rescuing and singing type.
So far, they might’ve sung, but they weren’t much into daring rescues or even being honest.
This isn’t to say men of great quality don’t exist or that all men are pigs compared to an artificial Prince Charming, but I do think Disney has been misleading and has caused several misconceptions within relationships.
Throughout the years, Disney has created a false image of the perfect man and woman by applying stereotypically appealing physical and emotional attributes to their characters.
Prince Charming was tall, handsome and rich. Prince Eric was brave, and Aladdin was spontaneous and dark. Why wouldn’t all of these qualities be appealing to the young viewer, especially when all of these characteristics were accompanied by romance?
Role-models are influential in a child’s life, and, for a lot of children, the characters they watch in movies can have an impact on their future opinions.
Why wouldn’t a naïve girl be dependent solely on a man and his charm when she had grown up watching her favorite Disney characters do the same thing?
Apparently, real princesses should lack an opinion, impulse control and independence. They should also be rescued quite frequently.
Now young girls have been given another “role-model” couple to admire. The plain Bella and sparkling Edward — or buff Jacob, if you prefer.
As the Disney princesses’ reign began to falter, the pale-skinned “Twilight” characters were able to continue the adoration of young girls and even capture the hearts of teenagers.
“Twilight” was able to go a step further than Disney and relate to its hopeless romantic audience by showcasing a typical, self-conscious teenager falling in love with a mysterious and sexy… vampire? Sounds relatable, right?
I remember reading the first installment of “Twilight” and swooning each time Edward would glower or say something stereotypically romantic about the way Bella looks when she sleeps.
I was 18 years old and once again found myself swooning over a picture-perfect romance that didn’t exist.
Movies like “Twilight” and the G-rated Disney movies have been creating unattainable standards since their first premiere. Girls and boys all around the world are subconsciously striving for the perfect relationship free of woes and problems. Realistically speaking, this can never happen.
I believe in standards and refusing to compromise over said standards, but I also know no one is perfect.
From the exact moment I fail to uphold princess characteristics — which is every moment — I also surrender the opportunity to be with a man who is identical to Prince Charming or Edward.
I realize I am not a Disney princess by any standard, nor do I care to be, therefore, I should not expect a man to want to be my prince.
Everyone makes mistakes, and putting excessive pressure on “Prince Charming” is enough to break the most honest and loving guy.
Not only do movies like “Twilight” and Disney movies create mythical relationships, they are also teaching their viewers to ignore the red flags of a bad relationship.
A lot of people grew up to latch on to anything resembling a “steady” relationship, no matter how unsteady it truly is. Women and men often look past unacceptable flaws, like cheating and abusive behavior because their significant other is loving and faithful “most of the time.”
Bella still loved Edward despite him leaving her, and Belle still ended up with the Beast.
I still love Disney and “Twilight” for the stories they have created, but I can no longer marvel at their idea of a relationship. I can only imagine what kind of relationships will be displayed in future child-friendly movies.
By COURTNEY
MCKINLEY
Profiles Editor
comckinl@imail.iu.edu