Children are like sponges, they are constantly immersed in representations of the world and the people in it, which makes them an incredibly impressionable audience. As technology advances, children are bombarded with media from the day they are born. The many subliminal messages embedded in the media have a profound impact on young people: as identity formation begins, the internalization of these messages affects the lens through which they see the world. Threads of unrealistic portrayals of romance, relationships, beauty, and self-worth are woven throughout the Disney Princess stories. The assumption that these films are innocent entertainment only perpetuates the many dangerous subliminal messages that impressionable girls so easily internalize; which ultimately create unhealthy relationships with themselves, others and the world around them. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Princesses are often associated with beauty; and Disney characters are no different. There is no doubt that the physical depiction of a princess is overly sexualised, and these unrealistic and distorted perceptions of beauty have a very real impact on the development of self-esteem. In a study conducted by Brigham Young University, Sara M. Coyne PHD explores the long-term effects of what she calls “princess culture” and found that girls with lower self-esteem were more likely to interact and connect with girls Disney princesses. She argued that “perfectly proportioned, predominantly white characters perpetuate a potentially harmful beauty ideal…an obsession with beauty can increase girls’ vulnerability to problems such as eating disorders, depression, and risky sexual behavior.” This hyperfocus on the beauty and sexualization of princesses can be traced back from Snow White (1937) to Frozen (2013). The concept that beauty determines worth is a dangerous message and is only exacerbated by idolatry and the prevalence of princess culture. Perhaps even more surprising is the hyperattention to beauty exemplified in their depictions of interfemale relationships. Women are often depicted as enemies in Disney films, and are more often than not shown as zealous, vain, and cruel figures who use their power out of jealousy or spite. In Tangled, Rapunzel is kidnapped by a mad witch, obsessed with gaining permanent youth and beauty. Similarly, Snow White is targeted by the Queen simply because she is prettier than her. Creating bad women who fight for superficial causes trivializes women in positions of power and reinforces hostility and competitiveness among women. Cinderella is forced to compete with her stepsisters for the prince's affections. In Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent (the evil witch) curses little Aurora simply because she wasn't invited to the party. With already limited representation of interfemale interactions, portraying the only other women as enemies instills a pattern of aggression. Instead of exemplifying how to get along and collaborate with other women, girls are repeatedly shown that beauty is something to be sought and fought for. Unrealistic and often unhealthy portrayals of romantic relationships create false expectations for romance and real-world interactions. . Disney's general recipe for marriage is as follows: be nice, get a guy, change your life for him, get married, live happily ever after. To the princesses?