Disney princesses such as Elsa from Frozen do not damage young girls' self-esteem and 'may be a powerful force for good', according to new research. US academics studied more than 300 girls and boys and their parents to discover how 'princess culture' affected attitudes over time towards gender stereotypes, body esteem and masculinity. Previous research had suggested the fictional characters beloved by generations of cinemagoers and TV viewers promoted negative female stereotypes by indoctrinating little girls at a young age. 'Higher engagement with princess culture during the preschool period was associated with holding more progressive attitudes about women, particularly for girls.' Dr Coyne concluded: 'This research suggests that children may be learning more egalitarian views around men and women after engagement with modern-day princess culture.'

Source: Daily Mail July 25, 2021 00:00 UTC