The revolution will be led by Disney princesses, and there's nothing you can do about it.
A few weeks ago, we covered Maritza Lugo and Danielle Sepulveres' series portraying Disney princesses as women in Trump's America being denied basic rights such as health care. In this new installment of "Disney princesses are woke now, whether you like it or not," we found an illustrator who also reimagined the iconic characters as modern women. This time, they're leading the resistance.
What's the feminist response to Belle's provincial life? Or being stuck under the sea with a controlling father? Portland, Oregon, native Amanda Allen Niday created depictions of protestor princesses holding up slogans that challenge sexism, racism, and xenophobia. We suggest you take these with a sense of humor: Of course, historically accurate Disney princesses wouldn't have had the same rights many women do today. This is a product of the imagination.
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The best part of the series is, each sign actually incorporates a quote the Disney princess says in her movie. "I didn't want to put words into their mouths," Niday told Teen Vogue. "I believed their narratives of overcoming struggles [were] powerful enough without me trying to force something else on them. I chose quotes from their movies, mostly spoken by the heroine herself, and tried to pick moments that would allude to their story as whole, had deeper meaning within the movie, or referenced modern issues."
Niday told Teen Vogue that she got inspired for this project after seeing the outpouring of energy and creative expression of the January 21 Women's Marches.
"I felt inspired by the way women expressed themselves on their signs, from the witty and charming to the downright scathing. Women coming together from all backgrounds to say, 'We are HERE and we MATTER,'" she said. "I wanted to hold onto that message as my news feeds dissolved back into squabbling and finding faults in our difference, rather than understanding."
Niday's work reminds us that creating art can be a form of resilience in the face of hatred and discrimination. It tells us that resistance can be personal, not just public. "Being strong when you are being told you are weak is a form of protest. Being yourself when you are being told that isn't acceptable is a form of protest. Never giving up hope is a form of protest. I wanted to show that we can control the narrative," she said.
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She said she chose Disney princesses because she feels Disney has been making strides lately in showing positive role models for young girls — and that if the princesses existed in today's world, they would be strong, outspoken women. "I believe that these princesses, as young women in 2017, would have a lot to say," she said.
Next up, we would love to see Disney-princess suffragettes, '70s women's liberation-movement protestors, and, of course, riot grrrls.