By Jade Glen
A few weeks ago we hauled the kids, their winter jackets, drink bottles and approximately 200 snacks to Hisense Arena to watch professional ice skaters recreate some Disney classics.
Disney on Ice is hugely popular – and expensive – and judging by my Instagram feed, half of Melbourne’s pre-schoolers were in attendance over the few days it was in town. I am still in disbelief that someone thought to put children’s theatre on an ice-skating rink, but it works.
The show was incredible and captivated my eldest daughter’s attention for the entire two hours while Maeve, at just under two years old, was kept in her seat only with lots of cajoling and bribery.
We enjoyed recreations of Toy Story, Frozen, The Lion King and Finding Dory. There were also appearances by Pinocchio, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald Duck, and those problematic princesses: Ariel, Belle, Rapunzel and Cinderella.
We have never really watched these movies at home so Lucy has no idea who they are – my husband was also confused – but having absorbed princess culture by osmosis, I could easily recognise who was who.
Ariel is a beautiful mermaid who gives up her voice to get the man. Belle is a beautiful girl who is meek and submissive. Rapunzel is beautiful and has amazing hair. Cinderella is a beautiful and passive princess who remains kind, gentle and sweet, singing songs to inanimate objects despite being forced in to domestic slavery. They all just kind of suck, to be honest; they are ornamental and one-dimensional, and pretty much faff about helplessly with their animal sidekick until the movie moves in to the final act and a man can come and rescue them.
Not everyone agrees, but I think Disney has somewhat redeemed itself in the 21st century with its more modern princess incarnations, like the unofficial princesses Anna and Elsa from Frozen, who attempt to rescue each other, and the most recent induction to the princess crew, Merida from Brave, who does not sing (finally) or have a love interest, and is skilled in archery.
Children have brains like sponges and I have become much more aware of the media that my own kids consume. It might not seem like a big deal, but I do not want my almost four-year-old watching the passive princess beauties and recreating their storylines in the playground, or thinking that a corset-like waist and immaculate hair are her most important goals in adulthood.
There was tabloid outrage recently about councils banning gendered stories from libraries. It was a beat-up, but the genesis was research that shows gender biases form from a young age.
Enjoy the escapism of a old-school princess movie marathon if it’s your thing – but I think for us, the original Disney princesses will be staying on ice, where they belong.
