Can We Live?!

As I restart my browser - AOL pops up on the homepage.

Many, if not all of you - should be familiar w. this routine and if so I'm pretty sure that you guys came across the headline "Who Needs a Black Princess Anyway?"

Now, I hardly ever read their articles and feel the need to engage - but I'm both black and royal [you knew I'd say that?! lol] and I have an opinion that needs to be voiced.

According to Alexis Stodghill, reporter at BV-BLACK SPiN, no one seems to be satisfied w. what's being made of Disney's first animated feature which happens to be starring a black princess.

Honestly, this doesn't even come as a surprise to me. It's been an on-going thing for centuries - wanna surprise me - seize the BS! [now, that's putting on a show!]

Writer of The Root, Monique Fields, asked the question "Who needs a black princess anyway?"

I need a black princess.

Little girls need a black princess.

&& an example of why - I am African-African and as a child I loooved to watch ABC's Full House. Like every other little girl, I had dolls - both black and white - tons of Disney movies [all starring white princesses]. I grew up around both black and white ppl. However, I went to school one day and told my Kingergarten class mates -"I don't like black people." My teacher [Mrs. Roper] told my mother what was said and when my mother asked why, my response was "black people steal and their dirty". [she was of course blown - but she taught me better]

&& it's not as if I was in a negative household, I was simply expressing what I saw from what I believe to be television. I don't ever recall watching programs that were too advanced for my age so I don't want ppl to point the finger at mommy for not censoring my intake. You have to keep in mind - you can set your tv on channel 7 for One Saturday Morning, specifically for cartoons but like everyone - these stations have bills to pay and you have no control over what commercials are being played [promo's for drug flicks - action flicks etc.]

Getting to the point - Although I watched Disney movies for entertainment rather than politics - it doesn't justify the fact that I grew up w.o. an animated figure that represented me - someone that I can relate to. I loved Cinderella and Snow White etc. but thinking back to me saying silly stuff like "white ppl are clean and yadda yadda" gives me enough to KNOW that kids are very receptive to their surroundings. We'd like to assume that they don't understand - they don't think that deep but they honestly do.

Princess Tiana was made to help children better understand interracial relationships [seeing as though her prince is not of African-American decent.] and to paint the impression that princesses are born in different colors - but African-Americans have graced this earth for Decades - did it really have to take 70 yrs for someone to pull the cord for that light-bulb to shine?!

That's simply how I feel - Here's what other's had to say -->

"Kids don't see things in black or white, they are such fabulous HUMANS that they see everyone as equal no matter what color until adults TEACH them otherwise. Who cares if she is Black or Asian, or Hispanic? Diversity is good and what our world is made up of. When will we ever learn?"

"Excuse me? Real Princess? All little girls are princesses! It just not right for her to have a white prince. Give her a black prince. Thats showing little kids to like others from their race its not right at all. This is one disney movie I will never let my little girl watch! Bad disney!"

"I would suggest that Disney is trying to kill two birds with one stone, it is far more controversial to have a mixed couple on TV than not, so I would suggest you open your mind a small bit and see what is actually being done here. If you're trying to find major fault in a children’s cartoon I want to remind you, it’s a cartoon, and since no one here knows the storyline yet I don't think any of us can pinpoint exactly what Disney will do with its first mixed couple. (For the record I think the male character should be purple, and they should make him share as many ethnic features with as humanly possible)

How do you feel?!

-xoxo