When you think of Disney, you think of white-skinned, blonde-haired, and blue-eyed princesses. But did you know that Disney has become more inclusive? It’s no longer conforming to this racial stereotype. Disney movies have given us a lot of brown-skinned princesses in the recent past. But we are stuck with the classic image of a white princess in our minds. We keep forgetting the new princesses with diverse ethnicities. These characters are much-loved and brown to the bone. Here are 5 brown-skinned Disney princesses we keep forgetting:
1. Pocahontas:
Introduced in 1995, Pocahontas is a Native American brown Disney princess. She has remained overshadowed by her white counterparts like Cinderella and Belle. Pocahontas was a princess and the daughter of Powhatan, a tribal chief. Her life story is an inspiration for art and literature. The beautiful 1995 Disney movie with the same name was one of the very first brown Disney movies.
2. Moanna:
Moanna is the brown-skinned daughter of a Polynesian island-village chief. This 2016 movie was much-loved by Disney fans. Also, Moanna is a Disney princess with curly brown hair. We somehow have trouble ingraining the fact in our minds that Moanna was a brave Disney princess. She set sail on her own, braving the rough seas to return the heart of Te fiti, thus saving her village from possible hunger.
3. Esmeralda – Hunchback of Notre Dame:
Esmeralda is a dark-skinned Disney princess from the 1996 animated feature film. A young Romani woman, Esmeralda is outspoken, kind, and famous for her beauty. Also, she is a street-smart and independent woman. Esmeralda is one of the most notable brown-skinned Disney princesses ever.
4. Jasmine – Aladdin:
Jasmine is a brown-skinned Arab princess who broke the shackles of gender. She assumed the throne of Agrabah as her father’s successor. Also, Jasmine was intelligent, loved to read books, and genuinely cared for her subjects like a true ruler should. She also put her heart first and didn’t hesitate to marry Aladdin, a street urchin without compromising on her duties. Lastly, Jasmine loved her parents. She was quick to identify the problems faced by her kingdom including the evilness of Jafar.
5. Raya the Last Dragon:
Raya is a Filipino Disney princess. She has brown skin and a splendid story that was made into a 2021 Disney movie. Raya is a fallen princess and a warrior with a mission to track down the last dragon to protect her world. Also, she is one of the few south-east Asian representations among Disney princesses.
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