The evolution of Disney princesses
A reflection of that period's social context - The first three Disney princess movies, 'Snow White,' 'Cinderella,' and 'Sleeping Beauty,' were made from the 1930s to 1950s
Outward beauty was privileged above all - In 'Cinderella,' her image is what gets her to the ball and makes the prince fall in love with her.
A lot of dreaming, little action - See Cinderella's song 'A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes,' and Aurora's 'Once Upon a Dream' for reference.
The "Renaissance Era" - Disney's "Renaissance Era" started in 1989.
'Moana' made huge waves - In the ancient Polynesian tale, the daughter of the island chief, due to inherit leadership upon coming of age, sails out solo to save her island.
The "Classic Era" of Disney - The three princesses from Disney's "Classic Era" personified the traditional, obedient, and reserved housewife stereotype, thriving on housework.
A significant step - Foregoing romance is a significant step for Disney scriptwriters, and up until that 2016 film.
Diversity done wrong with Princess Jasmine - 'Aladdin' (1992) reinforced harmful stereotypes about Arab culture, from blatantly calling it barbaric.
The problem with 'The Little Mermaid' (1989) - Though beloved to this day for Ariel's hunger for the world, in 1989 young girls were presented a spirited woman.
A specific kind of beauty - Cinderella's tiny feet are more desirable than her stepsisters' big ones, which is an example of Disney's old preference for princesses.
Why does all this matter? -
For generations, Disney films have influenced both children and adults' ideas of what is attractive, admirable, and worthy of a crown.
'Frozen' introduced new love - For the first time in Disney history, true love was sisterly, not romantic. And the prince turned out to be a villain!