You’ve probably heard it before: #DisneyPrincesses, a hashtag coined by Disney to highlight the princesses from the Disney Pixar movies, is trending in the United States and is being used as an expression of the frustrations of parents, according to a new survey.
“We heard it a lot, which is not surprising given that it’s a very popular hashtag,” said Dr. Jennifer Daskal, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University and author of The Disney Princess Syndrome: The Psychological Underpinnings of the Disney Princess Phenomenon.
The hashtag has been used by many parents and even many students in the past, she added.
One recent study found that when a group of children are subjected to constant social distancing and isolation, they experience higher levels of anxiety and depression.
Some have taken the hashtag as a means of communicating that the girls they love are not really princesses at all.
When a group is given the opportunity to share their own feelings and emotions, they have a greater chance of coming to terms with their feelings, Dasker said.
A recent survey of 4,000 people found that more than 60 percent of respondents had used #DisneyDollars, the hashtag associated with the Disney movies.
Parents are increasingly speaking out about the impact of #DisneyPixar on their kids.
In November, a group from the organization Girls Who Code launched a campaign called #PaintTheDolls to educate women about the issues facing young girls in STEM fields.
The campaign, led by former White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, includes posters and videos of female students speaking out against gender stereotyping and the lack of support they face.
In January, a woman in the New York City area tweeted about her son’s experience of being labeled a “puppet” because of his social media posts about the princess franchise.
On the other side of the coin, a young man named Josh from the United Kingdom was labeled a puppet because he shared a tweet that said, “I am a puppet.
You are a princess.
I am a puppeteer.
#PuppeteersForTrump ,” the Twitter user said.
Another Twitter user named Andrew, who works in the social media industry, said he was labeled by other fans as a puppet and was “called a name” on social media.
While there are some exceptions, such as the young man in the UK who posted the tweet about being labeled as a “fake” on Twitter, it’s common for people to use the hashtag when speaking about gender stereotypes, said Dr., Jennifer Dacek.
She said it’s important to remember that social distancedness, social isolation, and social exclusion can cause anxiety and depressed feelings, especially for children.
According to Daskall, the best way to deal with #DisneyEmpowerment is to be supportive, especially when a child is feeling isolated and is upset about something.
If you’re frustrated, it can be better to have them listen and support them in any way that’s appropriate, she said.