Skip to Content

Looking for the best info on potty training your toddler? Click here.

Disney's first African-American princess -- back to the drawing board

Categories: Preschoolers, Kids 5-7, In the news, Media, That's entertainment

Here's the good news: Disney is finally creating their first African-American princess. Here's the bad news: They just can't seem to get it right. The first version, The Frog Princess, was scrapped due to complaints that it was too stereotypical. The princess, named Maddy, was to be a chambermaid who worked for a spoiled white woman. Maddy is saved from a voodoo magician by a white prince, with help from her voodoo fairy godmother.

Disney's second version -- The Princess and the Frog --is still a musical set in New Orleans, but the company is keeping mum on most of the details. The heroine will be a 19-year-old named Tiana, and the film will be set in the Jazz Age. Disney says, "Princess Tiana will be a heroine in the great tradition of Disney's rich animated fairy tale legacy, and all other characters and aspects of the story will be treated with the greatest respect and sensitivity." Let's all hope they do exactly that.

Most racist Disney characters ever(click thumbnails to view gallery)

The messenger from AladdinThe crows from DumboKing Louie from the Jungle BookSunflower the Centaur from FantasiaThe Indians from Peter Pan


Though my girls have gone in and out of the Disney princess phase, because one arm of our family is Ojibwe, we've never let them see Pocahontas. Unlike Cinderella, Ariel, and Sleeping Beauty, for example, Pocahontas was a real person, and Disney didn't do history any favors when they fictionalized the events that took place. Though Tiana isn't a historical figure, I really do hope that Disney pays attention to the opportunity they have in front of them, and turn out a movie that's sensitive, appropriate, and fun, all a the same time.

(via Jezebel)

Recent Posts

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 17)

ParentDish Polls

    Hollywood's Hottest Dad
    51% of you voted Hugh Jackman the Hottest Dad in Hollywood by a landslide. Wolverine edged out Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp -- and we can see why.

    Jewel Samad/Getty Images

    Best Stepdad
    How cool would it be to have Ashton Kutcher as your stepdad? Pretty cool, according to 52% of you. After all, you wouldn't have to teach him how to send a text message or use Twitter! Kutcher is pictured here in 2007 with stepdaughters Rumer and Tallulah Willis.

    Evan Agostini/Getty Images

    Who cares about IQ?
    Not ParentDish readers! 80% of you said that this 24-year-old UK mom should be allowed to keep her baby--even after social workers said she was "too stupid" to take care of her.

    Jenny Goodall, Daily Mail / ZUMA Press

    Enough With the Gosselins!
    Will you buy Kate Gosselin's cookbook? 64% of you say no -- and you're also tired of hearing about her.

    David Livingston, Getty Images

    Best Babysitters
    31% of you said that you would leave your kids with Ellen and Portia, while only 9% would trust Oprah to babysit. Interesting, since none of the celebs are parents.

    Kevin Winter, Getty Images

    Fav Celeb Mom
    Jennifer Garner is your favorite celebrity mom, beating out Angelina Jolie and First Lady Michelle Obama with 37% of the vote.

    Kris Connor, Getty Images

    Bad Mommy
    Dina Lohan and Courtney Love tied for worst celebrity mom, each with 32% of your votes. Only 3% of you said that Kate Moss was a bad mom, though, which says a lot -- mostly what a mess Dina Lohan is.

    Michael Buckner, Getty Images

    Unimpressed
    Only 8% of you think Bristol Palin a better parent than baby daddy Levi. [Get the full story]

    Getty

    Octo Overload?
    60% of you are worried about her kids. Maybe because she reportedly once stripped under the name "Angelina?" [Get the full story]

    Getty

    Tough to Swallow
    45% of you said this Burger King ad was "totally inappropriate." What would the King say? [Get the full story]

    YouTube

Features

Recent Comments