Snow White: Role Model or Villain in Disguise?

Snow White and the Invisible Woman

No, Snow White and the Invisible Woman are not some sort of female Dynamic Duo who save the world from destruction. Quite the opposite.

As much as I love (most) Disney movies, they’re not harmless little pieces of toddler entertainment. Movies and other cultural messages powerfully shape how children (and adults!) see themselves, and those around them.

Snow White symbolizes many cultural forces that disempower women. And the Invisible Woman is the person too many of us become when we listen to the lies of our culture that tell us that it’s not OK to be ourselves.

Younger girls, especially, are fed a steady diet of fairy tales and passive Disney princesses. That’s changing somewhat (finally) with movies like Brave and Mulan. (In case you’re interested: in researching this topic, I came across this article, which ranks 10 Disney princesses from least to most feminist. Check it out for a fun take on your favorite Disney damsels.)

But think about the classic herione in distress, unable to help herself. Or the one who waits in a death-like state until she’s kissed and rescued by a handsome prince. She’s dead without her prince. She’s nothing until he awakens her and gives her life meaning again.

Little girls learn from these princesses what it means to be feminine. They dream of being a princess, all pink and frou frou and feminine. (I used to stand on my bed and pretend I was the princess of a mythical land called Bifra. I loved ordering my stuffed animals around, but I didn’t want the “responsibilities” of being the queen.)

But Snow White goes beyond “feminine.” She’s actually quite spineless.

Think about it. She runs helplessly through the woods, scared of her own shadow. Eventually, she finds a group of men who view her as free labor. They promise her protection if she pledges a life of servitude to them. She agrees, and serves them cheerfully, with a smile on her face and a song in her heart. She’s grateful for what she can get, and never stops to think if she deserves any better.

And I’m sorry, but can someone please tell me why those dwarfs couldn’t clean up their own damned mess??? I mean, really?

Sure, she dreams of a better life. She wistfully sings “Someday my prince will come” while fantasizing that he’ll whisk her away to his castle and solve all her problems. But she never takes meaningful steps to improve her own life. When an opportunity does present itself, it’s deadly poison disguised as a Magic Wishing Apple.

Instead of being an active participant in creating her own destiny, Snow White relies on wishes and dreams and magic to create it for her. And we all know how that apple works out for her.

And again – someone please tell me how all the animals know the witch is evil, but Snow White is so innocent and naïve that she can’t see it? Oh, she has an inkling. She shrinks back at first, unsure who this woman is. But then she takes pity and helps the “poor old lady” when she fakes a heart attack to get into the house. (Distrust your intuition, anyone? Deny your inner wisdom?)

The Tip of the Iceberg

But fairy tales are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the way women are conditioned to be passengers in their own lives. Girls are given dolls and play kitchens (care-taking roles) while boys are given trucks and tool benches (roles that frame them as the creators and drivers of their lives). Girls are told to “play nice.” Cooperate. Share. We’re not supposed to be too loud or opinionated. We’re supposed to let others go first. And always, always, we’re to take care of others and put their needs ahead of our own.

We’re taught to passively accept what comes to us – that our job is to take care of others and we shouldn’t actively plan our own lives. We’re consistently warned against being “selfish” or “uncaring.” And don’t even get me started on the expectations of mothers these days!

Add to that the physical and emotional trauma that so many women face (1 in 3 women in the U.S. have been physically abused by an intimate partner), and the assault on our sense of Self is magnified.

It’s no wonder that women tell me all the time, “I woke up one morning, looked at myself in the mirror, and had no idea who I was anymore.”

So now what?

Now the question is, “What do you do about it?”

More specifically, how can you reclaim your identity and your power?

After all, the Disney princesses aren’t going away any time soon. And we certainly can’t rely on Hollywood to be our moral compass or guiding light. And you know that simply making excuses isn’t the answer.

So what’s the solution?

Well, it starts with a decision, obviously. Decide that you’re not a victim. Decide that you do control your future. Decide that you will see yourself as the incredible masterpiece you were made to be.

The next step is to recognize where your messages of disempowerment come from. I call these influences Spiritual Identity Thieves™. They can be anything from subtle messages of how you’re supposed to “act like a lady,” to outright abuse and violence that shapes the way you see yourself.

When I work more closely with women, one of the first things we do is dive into these influences to determine the ways these Spiritual Identity Thieves™ have shaped your identity. By bringing awareness and understanding to the issue, you can then follow a proven system to replace these false beliefs and uncover the layers of your true identity. To go from Invisible Woman to Woman on a Mission. (Superhero mask optional.)

If you’d like to talk more in-depth about this issue, and discuss how I can support you in your journey toward greater self-worth, I’d love to chat. Simply click here to apply for a Self-Worth Discovery Session, and I’ll send you a link to schedule a time to talk.