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The creators of the 1994 animated feature The Swan Princess say that every girl should be treated like a princess, at least one day a year, and so they went on to create National Princess Day.n
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Third, the princess tropes in movies and TV can either empower girls or can teach them to be passive rather than active. Old-time princess stories seemed to encourage girls to put all their efforts into finding a man that uplifts and defines them, rather than into developing their own gifts and interests. Luckily, modern princess stories have much more messaging about girls and women being fully human – strong but also flawed, perhaps as likely to save a boy / man as to be saved, active and ambitious and courageous.
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nThe Paper Bag Princess, by Robert Munsch.
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n Disney princesses:
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Despite the fact that Frozen is just a bit TOO popular, I do love the empowerment of accepting one’s own self, of sticking up for one’s sister, of not letting “Mr. Right” NOT being “Mr. Right” get one down. Which means I love Anna and Elsa. n
nI also adore Merida of Brave and Moana! And Tiana! And Mulan!
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nThe Princess Diaries, by Meg Cabot. I am not sure I’m gaga about all the books (or have read all the books), but I really enjoyed the first of the series, at least!
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nReal-life princess:
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nMeghan Markle doesn’t have the title “Princess” – she’s Duchess of Sussex, instead – but she’s married to a prince, so I’m going to choose her as my fave. I like that she has brought a breath of California and diversity to the British royal family! Plus, I love her feminist pre-royal-wedding posts and speeches!
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Of course Wonder Woman (Princess Diana of Themyscira)! I also like Danielle in Ever After and Princess Eilonwy from The Chronicles of Prydain. And did you know that Pippi Longstocking is a princess???n
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nBut nobody rules non-Disney princesshood as much as Princess Leia!!
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nNon-princess “princess” in fiction:
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nI adore-adore-adore the book (but not most of the movies adapted from the book) A Little Princess, by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
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| This 1986 mini-series did a great job of capturing the wonderfulness of the book. |
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nAlso on this date:
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Time Zone Day
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nPhotography pioneer Louis Daguerre’s birthday
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nPlan ahead:
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nNovember holidays
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nNovember birthdays
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nHistorical anniversaries in November
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nHistorical anniversaries in December
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