Unlearning the Myths that Blind Us-Reflection

Unlearning the Myths that Blind Us by Linda Christensen discusses how the concept of Disney and the "secret education", according to Ariel Dorfman, and how these concepts affect how both younger and older men and women act in society.  When thinking of Disney I have always grown up to focus on the "Disney princesses" and how they live such a magical life and fall in love with prince charming who takes them away from their "rags" and brings them to their new found "riches".  Characters such as Ariel, Cinderella and Belle give young girls in society a sense of false hope.  Looking at these characters, or "role models" according to the young girls, the life styles that they are living is far from reality.  The way Disney portrays these princesses is setting unrealistic life goals for these girls and how they should not only live the perfect lifestyle but also to "be perfect" in their appearances and the portrayal of themselves.  Below is a video that I found on Youtube about they "afterlife" of what happens to these said princesses once things become more on the realisitc side for them.

Since a very young age I can strictly remember watching almost every Disney princess movie about a million times each.  When going to school at a younger age the topic of Disney was something that always popped up.  The girls were always focused on finding their "true love" or wanting to look like Cinderella, Ariel or Belle for Halloween and the boys would want to be a superhero such as Superman or Batman.  At a young age little did we know that stereotyping was the basis behind most of the Disney plots.  Almost every princess starts off in their story as coming from pretty much nothing.  Belle, starts off as living in a village with her father who is not the richest man in the town.  She later gains attention from the so called "prince" just because of her beauty.  Her beauty is the only thing that attracts her to Gaston which in all reality, looks are NOT everything.  Having these princesses as so called "role models" creates a different perspective when we become older.  If I had realized how "fairy tales always have a happy ending" is a non exsisting statement than I would have had a different experience while in high school and college.  Both my looks and dating experiences would not be the same as they are now if I had know about these stereotypes.  No one has to be perfect in order to find love and happiness or to be beautiful inside out.