As a parent who sits firmly on the fence when it comes to the Disney Effect, I took my two daughters to Disneyland this year.
The idolisation of the brand's princesses was quickly apparent: Cinderella swept past with several chaperons brushing aside the swarms of young girls dressed up in elaborate costumes. The look in my own daughters' eyes was one of wonder – but is that cause for worry?
A new study says yes. Researchers have looked into the influence of Disney princess culture on children, and the news isn't good.
Of the 198 preschool-aged children studied, 96 percent of girls and 87 percent of boys had viewed Disney princess media.
They found that the children – and especially girls – who had high levels of interaction with the princess theme by way of movies and toys, displayed more stereotypical gendered behaviour.
The results show that children are heavily influenced by Disney princesses. Girls who get into this culture are more likely to limit themselves to experiences that are perceived as feminine.
"We know that girls who strongly adhere to female gender stereotypes feel like they can't do some things," Sarah M. Coyne, author of the research, says. "They're not as confident that they can do well in math and science. They don't like getting dirty, so they're less likely to try and experiment with things."
Disney princesses have evolved in their onscreen roles through the years, from the 1930s passive princess waiting for her handsome prince to modern day heroines taking charge of their own destiny.
This is surely a good thing for our kids who are watching their screens carefully. "We've been reading an old book of fairy tales lately, and all of the princesses in the old versions are so insipid and helpless," says mum of three Carolyn. "I think the more recent stories like Frozen are heading in the right direction, for sure."
But some say the characters haven't evolved far enough yet. "What drives me crazy is when you get a princess who's not gender stereotyped, like Merida from Brave. I took my daughter to see it, and afterward we had a great conversation about how strong, brave and independent Merida was in the movie," says Coyne. "And then in the marketing, Disney slims her down, sexualizes her, takes away her bow and arrow, gives her makeup—feminises her."
Body esteem is one of the more worrying aspects of this Disney princess culture. "Disney princesses represent some of the first examples of exposure to the thin ideal," Coyne says. "As women, we get it our whole lives, and it really does start at the Disney princess level, at age three and four."
Perhaps even more concerning is that once girls have a negative body image, they engage more with the Disney princesses, perhaps, suggests the study, seeking out role models of what they consider to be beautiful.
But the news isn't all bad. Coyne suggests that it's nearly impossible to ban all exposure to Disney princesses, and that this drastic approach isn't the ideal either.
Instead, she says, moderation is the key: "Have your kids involved in all sorts of activities, and just have princesses be one of many, many things that they like to do and engage with."
Mum of four, Rani, agrees with this approach: "There's nothing wrong with some romanticised fantasy fun. Exposure to a wide range of 'role models ' is the key. Play is meant to be fun and in my opinion, kids find lots of different things fun."
Above all, talk to your kids about the things you notice about the princesses. This communication will help your children to think for themselves about what they're seeing and interacting with, and to understand that just because Cinderella is dolled up and being adored, that isn't the only valid life experience.