A New Study Says Playing Disney Princesses Is Bad for Kids
You probably didn’t think twice about watching Disney princess movies, playing with Disney princess toys, and pretending to be your favorite Disney princess growing up. But all of that could have a dark impact on you, whether you realize it or not, according to a new study.
Researchers from Brigham Young University found that Disney’s “princess culture” encourages gendered behavior in young kids. (An example of gendered behavior is telling girls that they should like pink and play with dolls, while boys should like trucks and Legos.) The study, published in the journal Child Development, is based on 198 preschool-age boys and girls and their interactions with toys, movies, and the like featuring Disney princesses. Ninety-six percent of the girls and 87% of the boys watched Disney princess media, and 61% of the girls and 4% of the boys played with princess toys once a week or more. The researchers found that the more interactions the children had with the princesses, the more likely they were to have female gender-stereotypical behavior the next year.
Why this is problematic: It could result in girls avoiding experiences they think aren’t feminine or are only meant for boys. They are shown these princesses, many of whom depend on a man to save them (think Sleeping Beauty), and told that’s what they should like.
“We know that girls who strongly adhere to female gender stereotypes feel like they can’t do some things,” study author Sarah M. Coyne, a family life professor at BYU, said in a statement. “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.”
The study also notes that these princess movies could serve as some of the first introductions for girls to how they view their bodies. “Disney Princesses represent some of the first examples of exposure to the thin ideal,” Coyne said. “As women, we get it our whole lives, and it really does start at the Disney Princess level, at age three and four.”
This all doesn’t mean that we have to ban Belle, though, the researchers say — instead, it’s important to encourage a wide variety of interests and activities, and make it clear that those aren’t defined by gender. It’s also important, according to Coyne, to encourage less gendered language.
This isn’t the first time, though, that we’re seeing a link this link — feminists and researchers alike have been theorizing on the harmful effects of gender roles (and how Disney plays into that) for years. That’s why some of Disney’s newer princesses, like Brave’s Merida, are so encouraging. Merida is totally badass and doesn’t need a man to save her!