Ohh Mommy, I Want The Pink Pretty One! [[Argument]]

This author, Orenstein, argues that the simple things we've known like the Disney princesses, the American Girls, fashion, and the colors pink and blue are influencing the minds of our children, and not for the better.

In this article, Orenstein was talking about how she did not tell her daughter the story of Snow White, to find her daughter at a bat mitzvah playing the role of Snow White in a game. She continues to discuss how the Disney princess invaded young girl’s minds. She asks the question of why girls are so into the princesses. I must admit I was a Disney princess fiend (I still have my princess books to this day that I refuse to give to my younger niece). She explains that one, it was a brilliant market idea and that, two, young have a fascination with princesses and how perfect they are. Up until 2009, Mulan (a girl who posed as a boy to fight in the war) and Pocahontas (an Indian princess who defied her father) where the brownest-skinned princesses. They were both beautiful and had very different roles, but when they were marketed, Pocahontas appeared as her did and Mulan wore a traditional kimono. These princesses were loved but not as popular as the traditional Cinderella, Ariel, Belle Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. In the article, she continues by explaining the making of the famous Shirley Temple dolls. She says that these dolls weren't really for a fashion sense, rather a more “give and receive hope” doll. What I mean by this is that Shirley Temple was around on the times of the Great Depression. President Roosevelt labeled her as a savor of hope for the country. It seemed like every family just wanted that piece of hope.

One thing I found interesting is that is an odd twist of things; girls are freer than boys in our society. It’s not so weird to have a “father proud to buy his daughter hot wheels” but then be upset when his son asks for a “tutu”. Nowadays, there are pink everything: pink tools, pink motorcycles, pink bicycles and even pink tractors, but where’s the blue Barbie’s? (and I don’t mean ken)

The main point of this article, I think, is to be aware of the things little girls are interested in. there’s no problem if they love princesses and want to become one, but let’s just hope she want to become one because she want to be perfect. The media and the market’s obsession with girls obsession with dolls and pinkness has become overbearing. I hope that this weight does not stay on top of your girls, and boys, for too long.