Brave, Defined Waistlines, & Pauline’s Soapbox

Listed under: Good News!

Disney is officially welcoming Merida from Brave as the 11th princess!

Listed under: What the HELL, Mickey?

Disney has also decided that Merida needed lipo, a facelift, and a “come hither” look to look just right for her coronation!

For serious, people. Let’s take a look at the Before and Afters, shall we?

 

I’m not ready to explain to my little girl that Disney didn’t think her hero was acceptable as she is. I don’t want to tell her that a defined waistline is valued more than strength of character. I won’t tell her that sex sells more merchandise.

Maybe there isn’t enough time. Maybe Merida gets her animated Nip/Tuck, anyway. I accept that. I also know that I’ll have done the right thing by at least trying when I tell my daughter that sometimes, Other People are narrow-minded, judgmental idiots who think what we look like matters more than who we are and that Other People don’t matter when she’s looking at her own reflection in the mirror.

Because she is her own source of self-worth.

Your daughters…they are, too.

That’s why I started a petition on Change.org. asking Disney to drop the sex-kitten and crown Merida as she appears in the movie that inspired our girls and celebrated the bond between mother and daughter.

Read it.

Sign it.

Even if we don’t change Disney’s mind, at least show our daughters we accept them just the way they are.

Upstate: Disney spokespeople are saying the new design will be used for some, not all, Brave merchandise. The reason cited is the option to decide between the 2D rendering or the 3D movie version because, they say, 3D won’t work on everything. Maybe. Maybe not. I still want to know who’s going to explain to the confused five-year-olds that this whole new Merida With a Smaller Waist thing isn’t meant to screw with their heads.

 

Pauline Campos is freelance writer and editor of the new ebook anthology, Strong Like Butterfly, which features the writing talents of writers Lissa Rankin, Therese Walsh, Mercedes Yardley, and many more. She contributes to Funny Not Slutty, Owning Pink, and 30 Second Mom. She blogs three times a week at Aspiring Mama (or when she remember to take her Adderall) and is the founder of Girl Body Pride. Strong like Butterfly is currently available on Smashwords. This post originally appeared on Aspiring Mama.