The Princess & The Frog: Why Having A Black Princess Matters
BELLE OF THE BALL
The Princess & The Frog: Why A Black Princess Matters
WHEN I FIRST HEARD THAT DISNEY WAS GOING TO MAKE A MOVIE ABOUT A BLACK PRINCESS, it reminded me of a conversation I had with my mom during my dolly days.
I remember her always insisting that I have a doll that looked like me. But my whole thing as a 6-year-old was, "Look, I'm playing with a dolly. It doesn't matter to me."
Then I grew up, asked questions and began to understand why it was important: my mom didn't have dolls that looked like her while growing up. But as long as I've been alive there's always been at least one doll that had my complexion, even if it was often out of stock.
Fast forward to 2009 and the question becomes, what does that have to do with The Princess & The Frog, the Disney movie with a princess that looks like me? A lot.
While growing up, I never fantasized about being a princess: I was too busy wanting to be a wrestler.
So all the stories movies about a princess being rescued by a swashbuckling prince were relegated to the corner of my mind. After all, it was just a fantasy and one that I never saw myself in.
Now I wonder: if that option had been available would I have identified or gravitated to it more? I think that perhaps I wasn't color-blind so much as color-washed to accept white dolls as the 'norm.'
Is the Princess & the Frog really worth the discussion and hoopla it's generating? Is it worth making me ponder a lifetime of events?
For the sake of the next generation of beautiful princesses in my family and families across the country: the answer is yes. It'll be a beautiful thing when I can take my niece to a theater to see a movie where she can pretend to be the star.
It feels good to see something as pure as a fairytale, released all over the nation, representing a princess that's different but just as beautiful as the rest. And when a movie with an African-American princess becomes a commercial success, it shows just how far we've progressed as a nation.
I feel like my mom now: Just having the option makes me smile.
Because every little girl deserves her princess. Even those wanting to be wrestlers.
Shakenya Jackson boasts she is among Chicago's finest writers. She enjoys long walks in the park and dirty dishes.
Tags: Film
Comments
I saw this movie with my 7 1/2 year old daughter. I am also African American. My daughter and I really enjoyed the movie. In the past most of the Disney princesses were weak and dependent on prince charming to take care of them. It was refreshing to see a black princess who had goals and stayed true to herself. She never gave up on her dreams and they became a reality. She really didn't need the prince. Today, that is the best message you could send any young girl no matter what color she is. Today modern women have to be strong and maintain their focus on pursuing a goal of their own. Although the princess was a frog during 80% of the movie her spirit still shined through even more than the other so called princess in the movie. For once in my opinion Disney delivered a modern day movie with a lot of heart!
Posted by: Patti | December 20, 2009 12:00 PM
I am african american and i saw the trailer, i am pretty offended, why the BLACK princess have to be with a white prince? this is certainly not what a lot of blacks want, then why the princess has european features (mouth, nose, etc), why not a real black woman(lips, hair etc)? why is it happening in N.O.(the 911 for blacks, Katrina)? What a poor choice, finally i want to remind that a frog is an animal living in half water, a pretty racist analogy to Katrina blacks living in half water. with so much controversy i hope Disney cancels this movie
Posted by: jan | December 8, 2009 07:22 PM