Monday, February 8, 2010

subverting the princesses


Alas, my daughter loves the Disney Princesses. I guess I think of it like "forbidden foods." If we don't make a big deal out of it and let her have access in moderation she will lose interest eventually... Meanwhile Princess stuff is cheap, and we often are given coloring books and stickers etc. I have taken a subversive pleasure in making the princesses a little more anatomically correct. (See before and after above.)
Did you ever notice that their eyes are wider apart than the diameter of their waists? So I add a few more "inches" here and there. My daughter doesn't notice and it makes me feel a little better. I still think my enhanced princess is lovely and wouldn't be any less appealing to little girls and might just help improve body image satisfaction a little bit.

(There are studies that girls as young as 4 who play with Barbies experience lowered body satisfaction. Body image dissatisfaction is a risk factor for disordered eating, dieting and weight gain...)

3 comments:

  1. Your princess looks amazing to me. The first one looks like someone made a grievous error with Photoshop.

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  2. I have to say, I love that you did this for your daughter.

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  3. Great idea! Wish I had thought of doing that when my girls were little...of course my artistic talents are not quite what yours are so she might not have looked as beautiful as your "enhanced" princess. Perhaps when she is a little older it will be good discussion material.

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