Although it’s not exactly hot news anymore, I just have to weigh in on The Princess and the Frog. I find Disney’s animated movies to be absolutely fascinating, minus the dungbombs of the last several years, so I’m holding my breath that this one will be worthwhile.¹ I’m glad that they’re attempting a return to 2-D animation, since it’s what Disney has always done well, and I would sincerely miss it if it were to disappear forever from the face of mainstream Western entertainment. It’s also gratifying to see that they’ve finally taken the plunge and made a black princess already–and that’s the part that’s gotten everybody riled up.

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She's not really sure about this, and frankly, neither are we.

So what’s the big deal? Well, a princess, especially a Disney princess, is socially speaking so much more than the daughter of royalty (and really, the royalty thing is sort of optional). What really counts is that she’s the most beautiful woman in the world, and therefore, in the politics of our culture, the most powerful woman in the world. Little girls love Disney princesses because they are a vision of their ultimate goals. It may sound depressing, but it’s less so if you think about it on a symbolic level: it’s not beauty in and of itself that they desire, but the power over others that it brings. Well, maybe that’s still depressing. But little boys have the same goals only focusing on different means (strength, super powers), so it’s kind of even.

In short, Tiana up there has been carefully crafted by Disney, the gatekeepers of the sacred Princess Archetype, and we should give them a little credit for finally crossing a line they’ve been afraid to for at least fifteen years. And in true Disney fashion, they’re clearly taking great pains to do it while stepping on as few toes as possible.

Of course, Disney claims that creating a black princess is an idea that came about “organically” one day when they were all thinking about how great a town New Orleans is. I don’t believe that for even a second. They’ve known for years that they needed a black princess, but they were waiting until it was safe.

Okay, that’s a little unfair. They announced this film way back in 2007. But it’s true that Disney is always more comfortable in the wake of the cutting edge when it comes to social change. It represents the mainstream, and so in its own way this film is a very good sign for race relations.

What’s interesting is there appears to be a divided response among the demographic at issue. Some black people are quite offended by what they’ve seen so far, whereas others don’t see a problem. This probably says more about our current societal state than it does about the film, but then again I’ve always felt that the primary value of Disney films is in their reflection of contemporary cultural values. They act sort of as entertainment time capsules, and The Princess and the Frog is sure to be a fascinating addition, charged as it is. I for one can’t wait to see it.

1. Pixar’s films absolutely do not count. I don’t care who owns who, creatively Pixar and Disney are completely different beasts. [↩]