**Does contain spoilers**
Disney has had a very lengthy history of portraying a princess in a singular image, neglecting to acknowledge and embody other very important characteristics and identities. Children and adults alike are repeatedly given the Disney image of a primarily white, paper-thin princess who lacks the ability to defend herself and embrace who she is without the assistance of a male. It is with Disney's newest release "Moana" that we are exposed, to what I believe, to be the most progressive narrative yet. While Disney's "Moana" isn't perfect, and there is always room for improvement, I find Moana to be rather magnificent for these reasons:
1. Moana is the first Polynesian Princess
From Snow White to Merida (Anna has yet to be officially deemed a princess), we've had four of 11 Disney classified Princesses outside of Europe: Pocahontas and Tiana from what is now the United States, Jasmine from somewhere in the Middle East, and Mulan from China. Given that there is such a vast range of identities and enriching cultures outside of the white-vision of Europe and the U.S., I am thrilled to see that Disney is expanding to acknowledge another beautiful part of the world.
2. Moana has a realistic body
This is the FIRST princess to have actual, real body mass and muscle. With just the analyzation of the past Disney princesses’ body proportions, it is apparent that girls who wish to look like Disney characters are trying to obtain an appearance that is completely unrealistic. When comparing a real woman's silhouette with the Disney princess, the differences are alarming. Where a realistic woman has a relatively small head, the Disney princess has a bigger, child-like head, appearing as a never-aging, innocent figure (Gardner). Again, the normal woman has normal breasts, with a less defined waist, and hips that are actually visible, but of course, each princess must have the same medium-sized perky breasts, a soft, but very defined waist, and hips that are nonexistent (Gardner).
Examining the legs further proves how unobtainable it is to look like a Disney princess: every female, no matter how thin, has protruding calf and ankle muscles with reasonably small-sized feet, but a princess cannot possibly have visible muscle (Gardner). Instead, the princesses have legs that are simply a sloping line, and feet that would realistically break under the pressure of their body weight (Gardner). The past Disney princesses look more like anorexic bobble heads than actual human beings, something in which Moana's image beautifully combats.
3. Moana will be Chief without a man
Moana's parents prepare her for taking on the role of Chief, with NO DISCUSSION about how she needs to marry in order to so. This is a monumental moment for Disney being that their past princesses only achieve "power" with their union to a male counterpart — a "power" that often comes with a title, but no real responsibility. In the case of Moana, not only does her father signify that she too will place a rock on the sacred tower as the Chiefs before her did (i.e. her father, grandfather, great-father), implying that she will be the first female chief, but both her parents teach her how to address and solve the problems before her so that she can be a strong, responsible leader that will effectively and passionately lead her people.
4. There is no love interest
This is a fantastic step in the right direction — for although Merida did not have a love interest either, Merida's parents pushed the idea onto her, whereas this was not even a element brought up by any of the characters in Moana. It is important for viewers, especially young girls, to see that like Moana, they do not need a man to define who they are. To go a step further, heterosexual relationships are a common factor within each Disney princess movie, but it is time for a heroic gay princess to emerge on the Disney screen. Even with Frozen’s introduction to an openly gay family, the gay character was so far in the background, that this stand for acceptance on such a controversial topic appears to be forgotten and insignificant in the film. Girls need to know that if their mom or dad is gay, or if they themselves have an attraction to the same sex, that there is nothing wrong with them.
Since girls growing up look to these Disney princesses for validation that dreams can be achieved and happiness can be obtained, Disney needs to create a princess that meets the criteria for those girls that are still confused and trying to find their sexuality. We would all be happy if, “we could get a brave, independent, non-offensively-skinny, non-obsessively-boy-crazy princess who isn’t photoshopped for sex appeal;” that would be nice for any young girl to see (Kohn). Those similar to the position of CNN writer Sally Kohn who watches the Disney princess movies with her daughter, want to see, “children’s films go a step further and actively reflect the full, positive diversity of families in America [and all around the world] today — including gay families like mine...Gay rights are sweeping the globe, supported morally and politically by an overwhelming majority of Americans” (Kohn).
5. Moana copes with death
Given Walt Disney's history with death, it has often been a vital component of the films' narratives — one that changes the course of a character's life, but is rarely addressed again after the fact. In other words, in the case of the princesses, with the death or absence of a parent, there is hardly ever an expression of pain or longing — it is as if the death is not relative to the story in order to be discussed. For those of us that have had the misfortune of losing a loved one, we know there is a process of grief; one in which is lengthy and painful, but the way in which we heal. When Moana's grandmother dies, whom she is very close to, we continue to see references of the pain Moana is feeling in her grandmother's absence throughout the film. There are several parts where the grandmother's spirit is evident with her reincarnation as a stingray, serving as a reminder to Moana that although she will go through periods of sorrow and anguish, her grandmother's love is always with her.
6. The soundtrack is a work of art
Honestly, this soundtrack can easily compete with Tarzan and The Lion King — it truly is a work of art. Auli'i Cravalho, the voice of Moana, is an incredible, powerful, and emotional singer, while Mark Mancina's compositions are absolutely breathtaking. Personally, "How Far I'll Go" and "If I Were the Ocean" are my favorites, but I think all the songs are worth a listen.
7. Moana is a real role model
What makes Moana my new favorite princess is the fact that she is a total badass. Maui refuses to help her? No problem, she's more than capable of doing it herself. Maui traps her in a cave? She uses her intelligence and strength to find her own way out. The scary little coconuts steal the Heart of Te Fiti? She leaps onto their ship, beats them away with an oar, and throws a spear with rope at her boat so she can zip-line to safety. She does all this because she loves her family, her people, and the ocean, never letting what seem to be impossible obstacles prevent her from fighting for what really matters. Moana has changed the very image of a princess, transforming that identity from a damsel-in-distress into a powerful warrior.
References:
Gardner, Joshua. “Busting the Disney Myth.” Femail. 4 June 2013. Mail Online. <dailymail.co.uk>.
Kohn, Sally. “Is Disney Ready for a Gay Princess?” Opposing Viewpoints in Context. 28 January 2014. CNN News. <galegroup.com>.
