The red headed heroine in Brave

www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/may/13/brave-director-criticises-sexualised-merida-redesign sorry

yup one of our favourite disney women has been bloody barby-ised. Grrrr

There is a petition to Disney about this here:

https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/disney-say-no-to-the-merida-makeover-keep-our-hero-brave?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=24368&alert_id=PjTSuTmLJP_SIsGkmAyrw

I tried to take my DGS to see this, but he refused and was adamant that it was a 'girl's film'. No amount of persuasion could get him to change his mind, which I find terribly sad. Thank you, Disney, for perpetuating the same tired old stereotype.

DGD1 (17) showed me the pictures yesterday with horror. She also told me that Disney had treated Pocahontas and Muhlan similarly - both had been given paler skin; Muhlan's feature were changed to make her look more westernised; this was once they became "official" Disney princesses. So dreadful..

I shall sign the petition and send the link to P who will no doubt coerce the whole Sixth Form into signing it!

This is typical of Disney - he was reportedly a very narrow minded man and it seems his legacy remains.

And what about the recent furore about shops selling toys under the banners of "Boys" (cars, construction kits, lego, science kits, etc.) and "Girls" (dolls, mini kitchens, irons, etc.). They've backtracked now, but it's amazing that they thought this was acceptable.

There may be differences in what boys and girls choose to play with/view but you can't help but wonder whether such choices arise naturally or as a result of this sort of "brainwashing".

And they wonder why women are under represented in engineering, science, etc.

Vegasmags, Brave is not just for girls, Merida has 2 naughty brothers who turn into bears. When they turn back they have naked bottoms which my GS loved.I think it made the film for him.

I'm sure you're right LullyDully but there was no way I could persuade my DGS that a film with a heroine was anything but a 'girl's film'.

"Brave" was great, with a feisty strong and stroppy heroine (shaping up well for GN in about 50 years time!) and "Muhlan" too. The fact that Disney can "Barbifie" them to fit Disney's idea of women says more about Disney and the media than anything else. Good to see people are cross about it!

I found this. www.dorktower.com/2013/05/14/princess-makeover-dork-tower-14-05-13/

I think you will enjoy it.

Thanks Flickety I did

Oh yes I like that, thanks. Seems Woman's Hour is annoyed by this too.