Not every Disney Princess has to be a girl boss.

Like many people, I too grew up with the classic tales of Disney nurturing my childhood. The Lion King, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, Tarzan… you name it and I've probably watched it 50 times over. 

And while we can all agree that looking back at these old classics now, as an adult, there certainly are elements that may seem outdated (the entire storyline of Pocahontas or the overwhelmingly heteronormative stories of damsels in distress), I argue that there are certainly parts of our favourite Disney movies that still hold up. 

Cinderella's kindness. Mulan's strength. Ariel's curiosity. Tiana's persistence. 

Watch the trailer for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Article continues after video.

As the influx of Disney remakes has taken over the film industry, I have observed a growing trend that, in my humble opinion, immediately kills an adaptation for me. And that's the tendency for filmmakers to 'girl boss' the titular female character in the movie.

This is particularly true when it comes to Disney princesses. Rather than taking her existing qualities and values from the original film and making slight updates to modernise the story, it seems we have become fixated with completely rewriting her, until she is barely recognisable. 

Don't get me wrong. I love a Disney girl boss. Tiana from Princess and the Frog. A literal girl boss who will stop at nothing to start her own restaurant. Mulan? Couldn't be more of a girl boss if she tried. She went to literal war to protect her family. But not every Disney princess fits that mould. 

Tiana from The Priness and the Frog is a true girl boss. Image: Disney

Take the drama surrounding the upcoming Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs remake. Rachel Zegler, who will be playing Snow White herself, made some interesting comments about the role and the original film that did not sit well with fans. 

"I just mean that it's no longer 1937," said Zegler at the D23 Expo. 

"We absolutely wrote a Snow White that... she's not going to be saved by the prince, and she's not going to be dreaming about true love. She's dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be." 

Speaking about the original film, Zegler was critical of the heavy emphasis on the romance. 

"It's extremely dated when it comes to the ideas of women being in roles of power and what a woman is fit for in the world," she said to Entertainment Weekly. 

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Now, I will preface this by saying that I actually really like Rachel Zegler. She is so talented and seems like an absolute sweetheart. I also think that the out-of-proportion reaction and hate that was thrown at her in response to her comments was absolutely bonkers. Don't even get me started on those racist comments about her not being 'white enough' for the role. Because come on, there has been far more problematic behaviour in Hollywood that still goes unchecked. 

However, beneath it all (bar the racist remarks), I think there lies a collective frustration that our favourite female characters are being pigeonholed into one version of what it means to be a woman, when womanhood is and never was one-size-fits-all. 

Does Snow White need some serious updates? Of course. Between Snow White's lack of agency in her story and the absence of a meaningful interaction between her and the Prince (who we're supposed to believe is her one true love), there are certainly things that could be made better for modern audiences. 

Rachel Zegler believes the original Snow White is dated. Image: Disney

That said, the character of Snow White has always been gentle, kind, and nurturing. She likes baking pies and takes pride in taking care of others. She loves love! Does every woman enjoy that? Certainly not. But women who do, are no less feminist than a woman who dreams of being a leader.

Falling in love is not a weakness. 

There was a time when domesticated representations of women on the screen were all we ever saw, and that, in itself, was problematic. But now, isn't the aim to diversify the types of Disney women we're seeing on the screen? The acknowledgement that women did not always have the choice to step outside of the home should not belittle the women who still want to step into those roles. 

A wonderful example of an actress who understood her character's inherent strengths is Elle Fanning, who played Aurora in the film Maleficent. 

Elle Fanning praises the 'femininity' in the character of Aurora. Image: Disney

During an interview on the press tour for the film, Fanning made some very insightful commentary about Aurora's femininity and society's perception of it. 

"I think a lot of Disney films, when the sequel comes, they expect the princess to then be in armour and have sword and fight and that makes her strong. And, of course there are princesses that it's necessary like Mulan. She is a fighter, it's in her DNA," Fanning said to Good Morning America. 

"But Aurora is a fighter in a different way. I think there's a strength in her femininity and softness. And there's nothing wrong with her wanting to be a mother and be married. My mum always wanted to be a mum. And I think there's a beauty in that and that is still strong. So it's nice to represent that kind of woman." 

And I, personally, could not agree more.

A character like Cinderella who, even after years of abuse and mistreatment by her family, still emerges with her kindness intact, is just as admirable as someone like Mulan, who is the epitome of physical strength, resilience, and leadership. One is not better than the other. Both are valid representations of women. 

To me, the recent The Little Mermaid live action adaptation was a phenomenal reimagining of the classic tale. I loved Halle Bailey as Ariel, and the film beautifully captured her curious mind, her openness to new adventures, and her love for connection.

The love story was fleshed out and changes were made to enhance Ariel's sense of agency throughout the story, but in the end, they let Ariel be Ariel. She didn't need Eric. In fact, she ends up saving him… several times. But it's what she desires.

So here's an idea. If we're not going to honour the essence of a Disney character, why don't we just write new ones? Instead of trying to morph every Disney princess into something they're not. 

The live action The Little Mermaid beautifully captured the love story. Image: Disney

Newer Disney films like Moana and Frozen are wonderful examples of new characters that are diverse and complex, and whose characteristics fit the story they're in.

You don't get much more fierce than the character of Moana, journying across the ocean to save her village, nor do you get a more beautiful representation of love than the sister bond between Ana and Elsa. 

Ultimately, as we continue to move forward as a society, the goal is not to erase a singular female experience, but to broaden the kinds of stories we are seeing. 

Feature image: Disney.