Kristen Durkin <11.12.12> 1 Mass Communication in Cinema VS.

Diversity Diversity in Disney Princesses The connection between mass communication, particularly Disney movies and diversity recognition are linked very closely. The definition of diversity reads, the state of being diverse; variety and the second definition, a range of different things. Diversity has been programmed into our minds since we were children. By taking a closer look into our past there are many connections we can make through the Disney Princesses. This is a direct quote from Disney 2008 Corporate Responsibility Report, The Walt Disney Company is committed to appealing to broad audience and reflecting the diversity of content is not just an issue for corporate responsibility. It is integral for the growth and viability of the company. By casting a wide net, we are able to engage and remain relevant to a broader community of viewers. Additionally, we believe that a diversity of opinions and ideas enhance out internal creativity and the companys vitality. Taking a look at the princesses, Disney produced each with a different nationality, cultural endeavor, gender equality and different type of lifestyle diversity. Disney has pushed their ideas of culture diversity into a childs life by producing soft feeling stories, but in actuality they have a twist that leaves a different imprint on the brain. Some direct links to obvious comparisons of diversity in the films is nationality and race in the culture of Disney Princesses. Take Belle from Beauty and the Beast for example. She is Caucasian French female that is taken captive by a brown beast. When the spell is broken, the beast turns into a beautiful Caucasian prince. Cinderella is a blond hair blue-eyed Caucasian also from a French background. She is faced to deal with death as a young child when her father dies. She then has to live a lifestyle of hard work and

Kristen Durkin <11.12.12> 2 Mass Communication in Cinema VS. Diversity must live under the rule of her evil stepmother. Along with Belles prince, Cinderellas prince is also a Caucasian male. Aurora from Sleeping beauty is also a Caucasian female from an English or German decent. She is cursed with a sleeping spell when her father forgets to invite a fairy to the wedding. And you guessed correctly, her prince is also a Caucasian man, Prince Phillip. Jasmine from Aladdin who is from the Arabic decent and research shows most likely from Iraq also meets and falls in love with a prince of the Arabic decent. Jasmine has to fight a littler harder to have her prince. Aladdin isnt a royal descendant. This also shows a side of diversity of financial status. Jasmine and Aladdin werent able to be together because he was a street rat. These fairy-tales have an entertainment value at first, but as we grow older and our minds adapt and see the background picture; we are able to connect these stories to a deeper message. As a young girl exposed to these pictures, one would guess you would believe some of the following statements; A prince in shining armor will come rescue you one day, you should fall in love with someone of your own nationality, white symbolizes good while black symbolizes bad. However, Disney does switch a few things up as time changes and a more liberal view is taken. The Princess and the Frog changed the regular flow of Disney princesses. Princess Tiana is an African American girl from New Orleans who works as a waitress. Also a first in Disney history, her prince wasnt from New Orleans or African-American he was from Pakistan man named Naveen. Also a different twist that Disney put on this story Tiana was not the Damsel-in-distress, Naveen was. He needed the help of Tiana to break the curse and turn him back into a human from his frog form.

Kristen Durkin <11.12.12> 3 Mass Communication in Cinema VS. Diversity Disney made another recent addition to the princess list with a Scottish young girl in Brave. Princess Merida is very young and has been faced with a difficult situation of an arranged marriage. Merida, free-willed and defiant of the situation fights to be able to follow her own dreams and to be able to have a marriage when she decides and to whom she wants, not of the will of anyone else. Merida is able to succeed and changes the law and leads her own life choice down her own determined path. Changing the law of the princess of having a prince and the story already being written. Merida is the princess that gives hope to the young girls to follow their heart and dont give in to normality. All these princesses are faced with interaction of race, religion, beliefs, wealth, age, education, and different cultures. They all are forced to interact with individuals outside of their normal lifestyles. Showing diversity situations in our cinema is an ideal approach of learning. Diversity is a situational based interaction that is better learned when having direct connection through personal experiences or through visual demonstrations. Disney has been able to follow this interaction with their films and characters through their viewers. Disney has a high reputation of being able to pull the character from the movie and have their viewers; especially children have a relationship with them. The Princesses are a perfect example of this conclusion. In conclusion, Disney has incorporated diversity into our everyday viewing since we were children. An advancement through adaption and acceptable with diversity is becoming easier for child and adults. By watching shows, movies, or seeing characters that you look up to or admire accepting diversity it makes the viewers perception of diversity also soften and more accepting. Mass communication is a very persuasive factor of the viewers perception of diversity and other lifestyle and culture differences.

Kristen Durkin <11.12.12> 4 Mass Communication in Cinema VS. Diversity Works Cited Amazon.com. (2012). IMDb. Retrieved November 10, 2012, from Brave: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1217209/ Amazon.com. (2009). The Princess and the Frog. Retrieved November 10, 2012, from IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780521/plotsummary Dictionary.com. (2012). Diveristy. Retrieved November 10, 2012, from Dictionary.com: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/diversity Disney. (2008). The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved November 10, 2012, from Disney.com: http://disney.go.com/crreport/products/content/diversityincontent.html Rock, A. (2012). Guide to the Disney Princesses. Retrieved November 10, 2012, from About.com: http://preschoolers.about.com/od/technologyentertainment/ss/Guide-To-TheDisney-Princesses.htm