Shame on Disney or Shame on Us???

I saw this last week and thought i would share it and get a little discussion going.

Merida, the character from the movie "Brave" will be the new Disney Princess.  And the character in the movie was average size however Disney has decided in order to make her more marketable (i am assuming) has decided to make her thinner with eyes more wider and less frizzy hair.  

Really....even Cartoon Characters get makeovers?

I think this is definitely a sad commentary on our Society and what we value...not the strong female character but the skinny pretty one.  To say I am surprised with Disney would be lying because I am not...this is done everyday around us.  Celebrities are scrutinized for being too chubby while pregnant (Kim Kardashian) when they are a regular size.  Female Athletes are poked fun at for being too muscular (Serena Williams). Models are too fat when they are a normal size (Kate Upton).  

We admire our first lady not just because she is a smart lady but because she has "guns".  

The list goes on and on.  

It's almost expected for people on TV, in magazines and in our Society to be perfect and thin and flawless.  Therefore it doesn't surprise me that Disney would take it upon themselves to makeover their new inducted Princess.  It's all about the benjamins for these companies.  It's not about educating our children about true and real beauty.  That fall into our hands as parents.  The real sad truth is that most parents will go and buy the new Merida without raising an eyebrow.  And the idea that thin and flawless is what's acceptable.  After all, all the other Disney Princess are thin and flawless.

Although I say, Shame on Disney...it's more shame on us as a Society for accepting 

by buying what is marketed to us as real and true beauty.

Question of the Day:

 Has Disney gone too far? 

Or is this what we expect from such a mainstream company?

 Oh by the way, there is a petition by launched a petition on Change.org  

to convince Disney to leave Merida alone.  The letter on Change.org reads, in part:

The redesign of Merida in advance of her official induction to the Disney Princess collection does a tremendous disservice to the millions of children for whom Merida is an empowering role model who speaks to girls' capacity to be change agents in the world rather than just trophies to be admired. Moreover, by making her skinnier, sexier and more mature in appearance, you are sending a message to girls that the original, realistic, teenage-appearing version of Merida is inferior; that for girls and women to have value -- to be recognized as true princesses -- they must conform to a narrow definition of beauty.