Thanks to modern technology, the people of Disney World can now make figurines for little girls that have their faces on them. As in an exact 3-D image of the little girl’s face.
Definitely enter this one into the Creepy Yet Kinda Cool category. I mean, people complain about Disney princesses all looking the same, right? Maybe this is the way to fight that trend of unattainable perfection. And you know, indulge the fantasies of 3- to 12-year-olds everywhere (whose parents have $99.95 plus $15.95 shipping to spare. Prices go up if you don’t live in the United States. And you have to be by Disneyland to get scanned for a doll at all!).
At the same time, though, this dolls do still kinda look the same. Check out the picture below of all the options available — their waists all seem to be the same width. Snow White might have a little bit more of a nipped waist and larger chest area, but that’s about it.
I can’t help but think: What if an overweight little girl (or a particularly narrow-boned little girl) wanted a doll made out of her? You might be a bit stuck there if you’re working with a really restrictive doll format. Can these dolls really be altered enough so that they looks more like little girls than the perfect princesses they’re emulating?
The price is a big shock to me, too. Yes, these dolls are cool from a technological point of view. But most people probably can’t afford them, which to me slightly implies that only girls from families with money can really be princesses. Considering that Disney has made a lot of movies that turn “ordinary girls” into princesses regardless of where they are in the social ladder, the high price of having a princess doll that looks like you might send a mixed message to little girls. And it might inspire the girls who can get them to feel a little entitled…
[via Disney Parks blog]
What do you think of these dolls? What kind of message do they send, if any?
guest
Why is everything a social commentary? How does not being able to afford a toy mean that a child can’t imagine that they are a princess. How does this one toy mean that some child is going to feel slighted anymore than they already do because of all the other stuff their parents can’t afford to buy them? That comes from parenting, and their parents emphasizing the importance of material things…not the toys themselves. The same goes for little children that are apt to feel entitled. This toy isn’t going to make them feel uber super entitled because again, it is parenting.
I think they are lame and I think I would have thought so when I was a kid. It’s like having a miniature version of you sticking your head in one of those sculpture things. I googled this to get a better idea of what the dolls would look like and dear Lord, some people are insane. It’s a doll. It was entertaining to read people’s reactions, but still.
guest
This is just weird
And I agree with the other commented completely not everything is a gotdamn social commentary
guest
@Erika_Steele@xanga - Great response. OP: You’re thinking too hard about it. I would have hated one of these and I’m sure the tasteful children of today will as well.
guest
guest
I don’t think it is a bad idea. I would have liked that. I was into Hot Wheels, tag football, boy stuff… and my body image was still distorted enough to become bulimic at age 13. I think it is silly to assume girls that are into princess want to be just like them in every way. My question is; What if a black child wants to be Belle? Or Cinderella? What if a white child wants to be Tiana (I don’t know if that is her name)?
guest
They made a little white girl Tiana.
These things are creepy, in my opinion, and I think I would have been embarrassed to have gotten one as a kid.
But really…I’m finishing my degree in sociology and I still facepalm at the whole disney-princesses-are-evil concept. No one takes that seriously.