Disney redefines the modern princess, with a little help from parents

Once, Disney princesses were beautiful yet utterly helpless creatures whose most intriguing attributes were their ability to wear pretty dresses and talk to birds. Well, that era is over. With characters like Merida, Anna, and Elsa, Disney has shown that heroines can be whoever and whatever they aspire to be.

In an effort to provide today’s young girls better role models, Disney entered into a collaboration with over 5,000 British parents and parenting expert Judy Reith. Their task? To determine what it means to be a princess in 2016.

Disney commissioned Reith to examine the qualities and traits of a range of Disney princesses, from “Beauty and the Beast’s” Belle to “Tangled’s” Rapunzel. This resulted in a huge list of these princesses’ positive characteristics and principles.

The list was presented to the parents, who were then tasked with ranking the attributes they believed most significant to their daughters, who were between 6 and 12 years old.

It was found that the principle parents deemed the most relevant in a modern-day princess was “care for others.” “Live healthily” came at number two, while “don’t judge a book by is cover” ended up on the third spot.

The top 10 principles parents believe a modern princess should have are as follows:

1. Care for others

2. Live healthily

3. Don’t judge a book by its cover

4. Be honest

5. Be a friend you can trust

6. Believe in yourself

7. Right wrongs

8. Try your best

9. Be loyal

10. Never give up

Three popular artists from the UK—Kate Forrester, Rose Blake, and Kate Moross— have converted the top 10 principles into posters that can be printed out to hang in your children's bedrooms.

The endeavor was Disney’s response to numerous calls for the entertainment giant to create more empowering, inclusive, and relevant princesses.

“Many young girls dream of being a Disney princess so it is exciting to be part of an initiative that defines exactly what that means,” Reith told Mashable. “The results make clear that being a ‘princess’ is not just about titles, tiaras or marrying a Prince, but about emulating Cinderella’s courage, Merida’s heroism and Snow White’s generosity,”

She added: “I hope the principles will encourage a whole new generation of girls to care for others, try their best and to believe in themselves.” — BM, GMA News