Disney’s New Campaign Encourages Girls to Aspire to Be More Than Just Princesses

Disney princesses have gotten their fair share of criticism as of late. In recent years, many people have questioned whether beloved characters like Cinderella, Snow White, Ariel, and Belle are positive role models for young girls. (For instance, a 2016 study examining “princess culture” concluded that girls who were immersed in princess videos and merchandise were more likely to engage in gender stereotypes later on in life.)

Disney’s latest heroines—Frozen’s Elsa, Moana, and Elena of Avalor—have all been a remarkable improvement in depicting more empowered female characters on-screen. The company’s latest initiative wants to go the extra mile in challenging the outdated notion that girls only want to be saved by Prince Charming.

For its #DreamBigPrincess photo campaign, Disney asked 19 female photographers to shoot positive images of strong female role models from all over the world. Aside from photos of girls playing soccer, carrying surfboards, and coding in front of a computer, there are also pictures of inspiring real-life subjects, such as the youngest person to ever speak at the United Nations, the leader of the first female cycling team in Afghanistan, and a Chinese Paralympic gold medalist.

Starting today, anytime one of these images is shared using the hashtag #DreamBigPrincess or liked on social media, Disney will donate $1 to the United Nations Foundation’s Girl Up Campaign, which promotes leadership and empowerment in young women. The goal is to raise $1 million for the foundation.

Kate Parker, one of the photographers who participated in the project and the author of the book Strong Is the New Pretty, loved the idea of the campaign from the start. “Like most kids, my daughters grew up having a lot of exposure to Disney and Disney princesses,” she explains. “So I wanted to find a way to combine an element of empowering princess and real girls.” She ended up shooting her youngest daughter, Alice, 9, and her soccer teammates all dressed in Disney princess costumes while riding bicycles, playing in the mud, and kicking a ball. “A lot of girls feel like you have to either be a tomboy or a girly girl who dresses up,” Parker says. “But Alice likes both things. I wanted her to know that that’s okay and you can be anything you want to be. It’s a gray area that’s not discussed a lot.”

For her contribution to the photo series, Parker also shot Grace, a ninth grader who is currently undergoing treatment for osteosarcoma while training for a 5K marathon. “I really feel a responsibility to show girls what is possible. So many images of girls these days are Photoshopped and filtered and not real,” Parker adds. “I don’t want my daughter to think that’s who she should strive to be or emulate. I think the more honesty and truth that we can put out there as women and as photographers, the more it chips away at that unattainable, unreal ideal.”

The Dream Big Princess photo campaign runs on social media today though October 11. Can you think of a better reason for a photo to go viral?