The Modern Day Princess
Cinderella left a glass slipper,
Rapunzel was locked up in a tower and her hair grew really long,
Jasmine rode in a magic carpet,
Aurora was left to sleep for a hundred years,
then their Prince Charming came along and they all lived happily ever after.
And then theres Mulan who went to war in her fathers stead,
Pocahontas who faced against colonial settlement,
Belle who’d rather educate herself
Moana, Merida and Elsa who chose to serve and save their people without a man on their side.
From a dainty, ill-treated and a damsel-in-distress, the image of a princess has truly evolved through time. In fairytale stories, a maltreated but extremely beautiful woman is rescued by his knight-in-shining-armor, extremely handsome at that, and they lived happily ever after. It’s a cliche. For a woman to be truly happy and successful, there had to be a man on his bended knees and bring forth the honors to her. Millions of young girls dreamt to become a princess; parents treated their daughters as such,
Centuries and millenniums later, the modern day princess isn’t on her knees scrubbing the floor anymore. Instead, shes burning her midnight oil to get the education she deserves, trodding that meandering path to success in her career, tending to her kids while trying to achieve her own dreams.
That modern princess doesn’t wear a glass slipper, an exquisite gown nor a tiara. She’s either in her bed clothes doing multiple chores at a time, wears a nice and crisp corporate suit fighting of wolves in the workplace, in her high stiletos trying to build an empire, or just in her ordinary house clothes facing her computer for business or work.
She doesn’t wait for that one man to offer or buy presents for her. She buys beautiful things by herself, pampers and satisfies her own whims. She enjoys the fruits of her labor.
Some princesses are raising their wonderful kids with their loving husband, some raise their wonderful kids alone, and some chose to enjoy life by themselves and their freedom, with some fur-babies if they opt to.
And yet, there are princess who have ran out of good luck, or have yet to find it. These princess who continue to battle against stereotypes are everywhere abound. The society is cruel on them. Princess who are veiled with masculine dominance, bound by patriarchal rules, and victims of impossible standards. These princesses continue to hide their face and wear uncomfortable garments to conform with the biased societal rules, forced to submit to their partners because that’s what their belief dictate them, or gave up their own dreams to satisfy filial piety that seemingly hold them hostage. As to when they can be freed from these, no one knows.
Maybe when they have learned to stand up for themselves, to give up a lot in order to gain a little more freedom and rights, to learn how to ignore the standards expected of them and to focus, rely and depend on nobody but themselves, it may become possible.
A princess becomes not when someone else tells her so, but when she knows that she can do, what she wants to do, and whats she’s worth. Then maybe, she shall live happily ever after.
So ladies, which princess are you?
