One of the more interesting sources I found for the project focuses specifically on Disney female characters of color, in particular how they are exoticized and sexualized in comparison to their white counterparts. Look at any of the white princesses-- Ariel and Belle, Cinderella and Snow White-- and you will see a representation of youthfulness, indicating innocence. They are also extremely thin, seeming to possess little to no physical strength or athleticism. In contrast, look at Jasmine and Pocahontas. They both wear more revealing clothing; Jasmine with her bared midriff and off the shoulder attire, and Pocahontas with a short dress and exposed shoulder. They also appear more athletic in the context of their movies, with Pocahontas being perhaps the most active of all the Disney Princesses (see "Colors of the Wind"). Yet they are both still petite, still voluptuous, representing the ideal of a female body. Add that to the fact that, though certain facial features are made exotic, they still have many typically white features, and it is evident that the colored princesses are made to appear as more mature, more sexual beings than the white princesses.
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| Note the different attire between Pocohontas/Jasmine and Cinderella/Snow White. |
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