My little one is only 17 months and I'm already worried about the whole princess thing.
Simply because I grew up entrenched in the Disney princess scene, staring at pictures of them thinking how beautiful they were and oh this is what i want to look like when I grow up, this is how a girl should be.
I then spent my teens and early twenties with low self esteem and an eating disorder, bleaching my once perfectly healthy hair and trying to change every aspect of myself to look 'perfect'. Nobody ever took my educational credentials seriously because I was too busy being a 'dumb blonde' in their eyes.
Sure I can't put all the blame on Disney princess! That would be ridiculous. But it did affect me and that's a fact. Those images impacted me. It all depends on the characteristics and brain chemistry you're born with as to how things like that will affect you. They were not helpful to someone like me with a propensity to self scrutinise, and who is so easily influenced by environment in that regard. My own mum had no idea it affected me this way, and she was a great mum. I don't blame her at all. Things were a bit different in the 90's anyway, there's a bit more awareness and focus on equality today.
I wish I'd had the self esteem to wear a hot dog costume at that age. No way could somebody have forced that on me.
I don't think I'd like a day where my daughter is encouraged to dress as a princess solely. A fancy dress day sure, and if she picks princess then great that's fine, but solely a princess dress up day? I feel like we are going backwards with that.
I won't be banning DP in our house - I'm a girly girl and I love a tutu, I'm no hypocrite. However I will be encouraging other things as my daughter grows. I'd like her to feel valued for something more than her face and body. I also don't know her brain yet and if she will be susceptible to these things kind of things like me. I'd like to be a positive influence.
You're gonna get the crap torn out of you no matter what though aren't you.