When scrolling through pictures of Disney princesses, I was shocked by redesigns Disney came out with a few years ago. All the princesses in the picture wore sparkly dresses and many accessories. What stood out to me the most was the whitewashing of Mulan and Pocahontas. Mulan’s face became narrower and her lips became fuller. The biggest difference were her eyes, which changed from black to dark blue. Similarly, Pocahontas eyes were enlarged and her face is narrowed. The costume changes are superfluous. The top of Pocahontas’s dress is bedazzled and she wears feather earrings. Is this outfit historically accurate?
Disney re-redesigned Mulan because fans complained that the artwork had very distinct differences compared to the Mulan in the film. Ultimately, the latest design still makes Mulan look White. All the princesses of color have been whitewashed except for Tiana. This is troubling because Disney princesses are the first ideas of beauty for many young girls. The new looks send the message that to be beautiful, you need to pale and have Eurocentric facial features.
Image from http://www.sparksummit.com/2013/04/17/bright-like-a-diamond-white-like-a-princess/
Image from http://thelearnedfangirl.com/2013/02/why-the-disney-princess-redesign-of-mulan-is-problematic/
