We absolutely LOVE Disney’s Frozen.
Not only is it packed full of useful life lessons (‘you can’t marry a man you just met’) and catchy tunes, but it also features two of Disney’s most inspiring princesses to date.
First of all, there’s Anna (Kristen Bell), who bravely heads off into the unknown to find her missing sister - and sacrifices herself to save Elsa’s life.
Then there’s, obviously, Elsa herself - who teaches us to be ourselves, no matter what.
However as it turns out, it may not be quite the life-affirming movie we’d all hoped.
Hmm.
In fact, a new study has discovered that Elsa’s mini-waist sets unrealistic body standards, causing children as young as THREE to be desperate to be thin.
Dr Sarah Coyne, from Brigham Young University, said: “Disney princesses represent some of the first examples of exposure to the thin ideal.
“As women we get it our whole lives and it really does start at the Disney princess level, at age three and four.
“Parents think the Disney princess culture is ‘safe’.
"That’s the word I hear time and again. But they should really consider the long-term impact of the princess culture.”
The study also found evidence to suggest that the films promote negative stereotypes, and that little girls who idolise Disney princesses are put off pursuing jobs that aren’t traditionally associated with women.
Dr Coyne continued: “We know girls who strongly adhere to gender stereotypes feel they can’t do some things.
“They are not as confident that they can do well in maths and science.
"They don’t like getting dirty, so they are less likely to try and experiment with things.”
They’ve clearly never watched Disney’s Mulan.
While this may be true, there is no point denying that Disney has also taught our children some very valuable life lessons.
For example, we learned that kindness should be valued above all else - and that we should work hard to make our own dreams come true.
There’s also the fact that you’re NEVER too old to have fun, that money can’t buy happiness, that you should never judge a book by its cover, that we have the power to change our fates, that honesty is the best policy, and that women can be strong, capable, and extraordinarily brave.
What do you think - are Disney movies a positive influence on our children?
Let us know via Facebook or Twitter (@CloserOnline) now.
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