IN DEFENSE OF CINDERELLA - Why I Love Cinderella (A Video Essay) | Aidan Elizabeth

[@aidanelizabeth]

WOW! I can't thank you all enough for the love and support this video has gotten! That being said, I'd love it if you helped me decide on my next VIDEO ESSAY! My current 2 options are EVER AFTER HIGH (Why It's Good and Why It Works) and SELF WORTH AND MY ADDICTION TO THE GOOD (Finding self worth as an artist) Feel free to respond to this comment with your preference (as well as any other video essay ideas you might have). Once I decide on what video to do, I'll delete this comment, so as long as it's posted, I'm still taking suggestions! THANKS AGAIN!

[@mattlibra3139]

First off the passion you have for defending Cinderella’s character is amazing and your explanation is so eloquent and well thought out! And second I’d love to see an Ever After High video!

[@CarringtonMorgan3342]

Ever After High. It was such a good show that ended abruptly.

[@waterdragon3367]

I would love to see either and I hope you will do both eventually.

[@diipppie]

Ever After High please!!

[@aidanelizabeth]

@@waterdragon3367 That’s the plan! Just trying to decide which to start with

[@rachealc.2811]

Let's not forget Cinderella wasn't fully passive either. She argues back to her stepmother to make the deal to go to the ball, and other times she displays she has some snark to her when she talks about her in laws to the mice. When she's trapped in her room, she tries to fight back and is ultimately saved by the mice and other animals she befriended. Her kindness to those around her came back to her in the form of help. I hate the argument that the prince saved her, I'd argue it was her friends the mice in the end.

[@shockingheaven]

It was her kindness and gratefulness coming full circle

[@emmad.176]

Her animal friends, the fairy godmother and prince all helped her in ways but she did try to help herself like you say and especially in abusive situations, you need support in order to be ok and to leave. She also was helpful to others and very grateful for the help she was given.

[@davidpollack1251]

@@emmad.176 The part about Cinderella being grateful for the help she receives from the birds mice and others helps you become an ally of Cinderella. When you see Lady Tremaine or the stepsisters or any girl with an in your face attitude like Laura from Family Matters, DJ or Stephanie from Full House have their bad take charge attitudes over Steve Urkel, Danny, Jessie or Joey in full house or Just any woman of any race, color or nationality you just want to look at them and say screw you mouthy bitch control freak your on your own I'm outta here.

[@yamato6114]

And she also disciplines Lucifer whenever he acts out. Like when he ruined the floor she just cleaned, or when he’s terrorizing the mice.

[@orvillefischer7503]

While the live action Cinderella just gives up when she's locked in her room she doesn't even try to escape she just gives up and dance around her room only to be saved by pure luck

[@millie209]

. She wasn't planning on leaving forever, she just wanted a night out. She went to the ball and danced with a man that she didn't even realize was the prince. After meeting, he fell in love with her and, since the ball was there as a means to find the prince a partner, he likely assumed she was an option and is surprised when she comments about not having met the prince. . She was the woman he chose at the ball, and therefore went to find her. He didn't see her as some damsel in distress that he needed to rescue, but she did more work regarding her rescue than the princess did. Without her bravery, she wouldnt have defied lady tremaine and gone to the ball. She set her rescue in motion, not the prince.

[@anacardoso9822]

Honestly, and what if she didn't? The idea that people can or should be expected to "save themselves" is something only the feminists came up with. It's completely unreal and shouldn't be how we measure the "worth" of a character or story.

[@mattlibra3139]

@@anacardoso9822 I wouldn’t call the people hating on Cinderella true feminists, more so feminazis who believe that there is no strength in femininity, when truly, femininity is just as strong as masculinity

[@mariajoseisaisgutierrez5127]

@@anacardoso9822 I agree mostly, though I wouldn't say those who hate on Cinderella feminists. And you remind me of something else. Anyone ever seen Howl's moving castle? Sophie doesn't really have any aspirations, nor does she have much confidence in herself. She sews, cleans and cooks, and is pretty much stereotypically feminine. Yet we root for her, and we hope for her to get her happy ending. I completely forgot why I was writing this... maybe I'll edit more later...

[@anacardoso9822]

@@mattlibra3139 I find the feminist vs feminazi distinction is only a way feminists will use the no true scotsman fallacy whenever we criticize them.

[@anacardoso9822]

@@mariajoseisaisgutierrez5127 I watched that. =)

[@myliemusick6871]

we RESPECT cinderella in this household

[@aidanelizabeth]

YES WE DO!

[@KeepCalmContemplateYourChoices]

"If you don't respect Cinderella, I don't respect you" ~Me, 2021

[@jandm4ever716]

Yes!

[@wysteriasparkle6189]

A TRUE queen.

[@jetnight88]

@@KeepCalmContemplateYourChoices I do like her but mulan to me is better

[@fcv4616]

The fact that Cinderella doesn't even realise she was dancing with the prince shows how humble and pure she is. All the other ladies attended the ball in hopes of wedding a handsome, rich, powerful man. Cinderella on the other hand wouldn't have cared if the prince had been a peasant instead. Which shows that she's only looking for happiness. There's wisdom in it.

[@MahouShoujo-Studios]

Say it louder for the people in the back!

[@chrissi975]

Dunno why she has to be defended. Cinderella is obviously a survivor of abuse, that manages to keep her kind heart and remain strong no matter the toxic environment she was raised in. The sequels flesh out her character too.

[@sonder7503]

Exactly! She may not be physically tough but she was emotionally strong whilst keeping a kind and loving heart throughout the story.

[@polin1710]

that makes me wonder how she would be if she didn't have so much optimism, if i put myself in her shoes i have no doubt i would have murdered them all

[@lucapeyrefitte6899]

I love that she's emotionally strong because we really need that now, hell I need it I'm an emotional mess

[@tamedfoxes2682]

Because society loves to blame the victim when it comes to women and minorities. The sad thing is that when I was younger I thought that Cinderella was a terrible roll model and that she should just “save herself”

[@Wawagirl17]

I think critics tend to forget that Cinderella had been stuck with these people (her stepmother and stepsisters) since she was a very little girl. Viewers act as though Cinderella, as a fully grown adult, just kinda moved in with them and let herself be pushed around like an idiot. But her father, the only caring parent in her life, tragically died when she was a small child, and she gradually became brainwashed while grief-stricken. Brainwashed to believe that this was her new duty and role in life, to serve her only living family. And if during her entire upbringing she was never allowed to leave the home, why wouldn't she develop a fear to do so as an adult? That's only natural. But people skip over that backstory in the opening and trauma and context and just think, "Damn, she's so dumb and passive." That level of isolation, not even factoring in the time period, makes Cinderella's situation extremely believable, and the only surprising part really is her kindness and positive attitude through it all.

[@housecat5958]

The fact that Cinderella has such high self esteem despite being told her whole life why she shouldn’t, is kind of remarkable.

[@sophiamikell7490]

It is REALLY remarkable. Abuse is hard and damages you, but she said "I am better than they think I am and I deserve more than this life, once the chance for escape comes, I will escape. For now, I live off of dreams." That is really amazing and inspirational.

[@emmad.176]

Yeah the way she carries herself shows she values herself. She's very graceful and with a beautiful posture, plus she's kind and does stand up for herself, just in a calm way. The girl is made of iron.

[@alexp.d3689]

In Perraeult's version she actually starts by having low self esteem but as the story progresses she becomes more confident ... The whole thing with Cinderella being a dreamer is something that Walt Disney added to the story ,he added a lot of original elements to his adaptations of fairytales that are exclusive to his interpretations of those stories ... The Perraeult's version with Disney's are two different variations of the same story . Walt Disney made his own adaptations of the stories he turned into films similar to what Perraeult and the Grimm's did ,he didn't just adapt them ... He made his own unique variations who became synonymous with those stories to such an extend that they practically replaced their source materials (In the public's consciousness that is,as well as Pop culture)

[@housecat5958]

@@alexp.d3689 Thanks for the history lesson on fairy tales but I, and pretty much everyone, I'm sure, is aware that Disney did not invent the story of Cinderella. What is discussed in this video is the public consciousness version of Cinderella that most people are familiar with, and what her characterization has become (mostly in part thanks to Disney, as you said, Rogers and Hammerstein and other more modern versions of the tale) My comment was about the popular characterization of her that was the subject of this video. I don't think that digging up Perreault's version of the story from the 1700s is particularly relevant to the discussion at hand.

[@tasmeenbaker9912]

She's so confident yet humble

[@alisonwalker9078]

I have always liked Cinderella. She is one of my favorite princesses.

[@kieranstark7213]

In Cinderella (1950) and A Twist in Tome, yes. But in Dreams Come True and Cinderella (2015)... Cinderella in C: DCT: This dress, ew! NOT SO MUCH. In other words, I too would consider Cinderella to be one of my favourite princesses. Not always, but definitely most of the time!

[@astoldbynickgerr]

Me too! Cinderella will always be my other favorite!

[@zeylasacli1641]

Samee

[@dontlookatmyplaylists]

Same yo, I have a soft spot for Cinderella.

[@ValentinaMartinez-zd7vy]

she’s my favorite princess

[@KeepCalmContemplateYourChoices]

The prince DOES get too much credit. HE WASN'T EVEN THERE FOR THE SLIPPER FITTING

[@stephaniemasson1224]

They did give the prince more agency in the live action though, he went there himself to find the woman he loved! I think that was one of the reasons why I love the remake so much, the prince feels like a real, complex character, and his personality goes beyond being a prince and Cinderella's romantic interest.

[@harharharharharharharharha240]

well we get to see more of him in cinderella a twist in time

[@stephaniemasson1224]

@@harharharharharharharharha240 Oh yeah, I really like that sequel too! He's such a kind hearted person, and his character is really funny too

[@harharharharharharharharha240]

@@stephaniemasson1224 yah he got a personality

[@kieranstark7213]

Modern Disney (and I mean the bright side of it): *realizes the criticism The Prince in Cinderella before the late 2000s had for being a one-dimensional teenage man although he did get married to Cinderella of all women in the original and truly shows they know how to fix it in A Twist in Time and yes... even the Cinderella remake! Love it or hate it, what makes it one of the live-action Disney remakes I can at least tolerate would have to be how they handled Prince Charming... aka Kit. Outside of that, and Strong being catchy, it’s just a soulless remake)*

[@Parcha64]

Physical strength is a responsibility. It is possible to use physical strength to harm others and I find modern Disney ignores that aspect in its main characters. Emotional strength is a virtue. We know the emotionally weak are the abusers in most cases. If you have a strong grasp of your feelings, you will be able to take on the responsibility of other kinds of power. Real empowerment comes from heroism and virtue, not muscles, fighting ability, or even wit. Both men and women need stories about good character rather than good abilities.

[@aidanelizabeth]

Beautifully said

[@roriemarie2968]

@Pink Girl it is. I'm almost 50. Kindness and forgiveness is a strength...but not to your detriment ...knowing when it is or is not is the tricky part

[@ilonashumiha]

@@roriemarie2968 Forgiveness means allowing your offenders (especially if you offended, that’s putting it mildly)

[@aworldofhopes7627]

Yes!! I literally wrote about this topic for my Women's Studies final. I will defend Cinderella, Snow White, and Aurora forever. I think that modern-day women and feminists are quick to want female characters that are physically strong, independent, relatable, and intelligent, while also talking down about typically feminine characteristics and characters(i.e. Cinderella, Snow White, and Aurora). I remember getting made fun of so much for liking Cinderella as a child, as all the other girls viewed her as weak. And because I liked Cinderella, I must be weak by extension. The tearing down of princess is just a small part of a huge problem of pitting women against each other or even just girl-on-girl hate. These princesses teach anyone important lessons about emotional strength, optimism, and kindness. These are important lessons and are on par with the lessons that Mulan, Belle, and Tiana teach. I love all of the Disney Princesses and I think that they all have admirable characteristics and lessons that they teach. It's all-important. Feminity is not weak or bad. Masculinity isn't either. Just like how there are different types of intelligence, there are different types of strengths in life. Kindness and optimism are just as important as bravery and leadership. I love this video so, so, so much.

[@Rose-xm4og]

I agree so much. Sadly, these same people view femininity as weak, which is pretty much opposite. Because Cinderella’s strength is her character and femininity.

[@ΑΡΙΣΤΟΤΕΛΗΣΛΑΧΑΝΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ]

Well to be fair Aurora isn't a very good character. She spends half the movie asleep and the other half as a kid. She has like 2-3 scenes as an adult

[@Wizard608]

OMG Will you please share what you have reported? It seems interesting!

[@Wizard608]

​@@ΑΡΙΣΤΟΤΕΛΗΣΛΑΧΑΝΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ I think you meant she didn't have the best screen time. But that doesn't really diminish her characterization. If you would be reminded, she was cursed when she was just a BABY. That situation was literally beyond her control. Also, let's put into light the sacrifice that she made: She didn't run away or rebel against her aunts when they told her that she was a princess, and that she needed to marry a prince and unite two kingdoms. She gracefully accepted her responsibility, even if it means leaving the man that she met in the woods, because it was the right thing to do. Little did she knew that she was already being rewarded for the decision that she made.

[@enrozen]

Yes, that's so true! To respect one kind of women you don't have to humiliate another. Disney Princesses are that great because they show you about 12 different ways to be the princess of your life.

[@shrinkingviolet1953]

Thank you! I feel like too many people who hate on Cinderella haven't even watched the film. The prince was completely absent from her final escape of the movie. Instead, it was the friendships she'd made through kindness that saved her in the end. Now that's a powerful message I can get behind.

[@inspectorspinda]

it's the "it's a wonderful life" ending

[@kieranstark7213]

They seem to take her horrible “This dress, ew!” representation (in Cinderella 2: Dreams Come True) as how she was in the original film. But that was only one point where she was incredibly flanderized, outside of that, I always swore she in the original Cinderella in Cinderella III: A Twist in Time deserves to be taken as a positive representation of women (hell, PhantomStrider even pointed out in ATiT that she had ninja skills! And it really does help that she kinda does look like Samus Aran in Modern Metroid)!

[@Interestingenough4]

Yup. And a lot of times, that's how abuse victims are saved: through their social networks. After years of kindness and compassion from Cinderella, the birds, mice, Old Major, and Bruno showed undying loyalty and rescued her in her greatest moment of need. As an added bonus, Bruno fulfilled his dream of chasing Lucifer and avenging the abuse he suffered all those years. A prominent law official (the king's second-in-command) and Cinderella's own ingenuity did the rest.

[@woofwoof8146]

-and if you're going to claim it was the fairy godmother, the godmother said it was Cinderella who manifested her! She saved herself darn it. Cinderella from my experience is a showcase of a narcissist family abuse system, with Cinderella as the scapegoat of the family, and now to our own society. Unless you've been in it, few people understand. I grew up in it, down to the domestic servant, 3rd rate to my siblings, insulted, belittled, abused. It's hell on earth. It's psychological warfare 24/7 *it physically makes you sick and causes brain damage* I've met people who were entangled by narc partners only as adults, they blamed themselves for everything, until they were out, then they could see and begin to understand what was happening. I was about Cinderella's age when I really started to figure it out, got educated, fully broke social isolation, and started to properly stand my ground. It's an ongoing process. When Cinderella happily pranced down the stairs asking to try the shoe on, only for the step-mother to brake it, Cinderella showed amazing defiance that is STRENGTH. When she pulled out the other slipper, she continued that defiance. SHE SAVED HERSELF DARN IT. She defied and overcame her step mom right in front of her and the royal officials (ultimate humiliation *FATALITY*) It is more satisfying to watch now as an adult then a child. I will be like Cinderella, I will defy my abusers. Keep trying to brake me, I'll always have the other slipper.

[@kennymccown1922]

Go off, you deserve it. Hope life is going better for you.

[@flixg4358]

“I’ll always have the other slipper.” That’s awesome! What a great interpretation of that scene and way of applying to real life. When someone thinks they’ve taken away you’re strength, you’ve still got it. So happy that you’ve escaped your abusive situation and wish you love and happiness.

[@rebeccapaiottidasilva4054]

I went through a similar thing when I was younger, not as intense as your scenario, but I went through a lot of bullying and emotional abuse from people like some of my old friends and a little from my family, Cinderella was my role model throughout it all, idk if I’d be where I am rn, if I’d be as head strong and resilient as I am rn, if it weren’t for Cinderella, her story always helped me remember that as long as I was a good person that there would be that light at the end of the tunnel so that I could get out of any bad, usually seeming inescapable, situation

[@woofwoof8146]

@@rebeccapaiottidasilva4054 We're all in this together, thank you so much for your support and I'm honored you would share some of your story.

[@woofwoof8146]

@@flixg4358 Thank you! I wish the best for you too!

[@mattrobledo4871]

I always assumed that Lady Tramaine poisoned and killed Cinderella's father

[@anacardoso9822]

I never thought about it but that's a good take.

[@naturally_roisin]

woah **questions entire existence**

[@super-weirdo5219]

Me too!

[@insomniac1184]

I bet she did. Especially to inherit the money. If she really loved him, she would also love his daughter.

[@alize0623]

I also always interpreted Lady Tremaine as a black widow. Cinderella 2 and 3 also support this indirectly

[@Nightman221k]

No matter how often I'd hear people calling Cinderella a bad character, I never could even come close to hating her. The Disney version made me love how kind she was (she makes personalized outfits for her mice and I like that she's spunky and doesn't give up on hope) and set the stage for her bad situation so much that it felt like such a bad-faith argument to say she wasn't doing enough to help herself. The ONLY family she's had since she was a very little girl worked her to exhaustion, she has no one outside of the house to help her because she probably wasn't allowed an education after her father died and her father would have left the money in the care of the woman he believed would use it to provide Cinderella a good life. Also, up until they ripped her dress, I don't think Cinderella knew they HATED her. I think she knew they didn't respect her or value her contributions, but I think until then she didn't know they actually wanted her to suffer. These were people she grew up with for most of her life, it probably became the status quo for so long that it was her normal. When all she wanted was to have a nice time at a party and they couldn't let her have that I think it made her realize she couldn't go on living with them.

[@KellyBosch]

Cinderella has been, and will probably always be my favorite Disney character. She exemplifies how to stay soft and kind in a world that can be cruel. She doesn't become hopeless and/or cruel in the face of abuse or pain. She doesn't just stay kind, she fights for it. She knows who she is. She even has a little sass. Cinderella took care of herself and those around her in spite of everything she went through. She wasn't waiting around to be rescued. She was willing to fight for what she wanted and she never gave up. She shows that even though we have moments of overwhelm or sadness, we can keep going. As another commentator noted, interpretation isn't a cut and dry thing. We can interpret things wrong and thus our interpretations should be up for discussion. It's a delicate balance that is a definite work in progress. On another note, the King wasn't in it for the Prince. He was in it for himself. A part of him wanted what was best for his son, but his personal feelings led the way. I also think the film makes it clear his intentions weren't good, even if Cinderella and the Prince found each other. We're also dealing with magic here, so the Prince not being sure of Cinderella is okay. I do like how the live-action Disney film modified that part.

[@alize0623]

In the 3rd it’s revealed the prince only used her shoe because phones didn’t exist. He remembered what she looked like. Just needed to find a way to bring her back to the palace.

[@thesamuraihobbit]

PS: Let's not forget one teensy weensy little detail: Cinderella takes place in France (just listen to the names the herald announces at the ball, it's definitely France) IN THE 1600s. Renaissance-era France wasn't exactly known for its great warriors, it was known for art, culture, and its complete wall of separation between the nobility and everybody else. If we're to assume that Charles Perrault's Cinderella (he's the one given credit in the opening of the 1950s movie) takes place in the mid to late seventeenth century, then we're only a little over a century before the Revolution. Let's be honest, women were in a shitty situation back then, no matter which echelon of society they belonged to. Really, the best young woman of high society could hope for back then was a husband who wasn't an asshole, or at least not too much of one. In fact, that was one luxury, no pun intended, that the poor were allotted. They could marry whoever they wanted in their station. Even if Cinderella would've wanted to fight back, how could she have done so?

[@starmelodyelizabethb7380]

That actually makes so much sense.

[@arthurfine4284]

And if you discount that little detail of time period, the reason why abuse victims stay in an abusive relationship is because abusers hold so much power over the victim. Abusers control who the victim can see, what necessities the victim can obtain, and what type of environment the victim can live in. So even if the victim tries to leave, they would inevitably have to come crawling back to the abuser because the victim has nowhere to go after escaping.

[@oculus6923]

I mean at least in Cinderella 3, we see the prince being a lot more than just some picture perfect man who's of high status. It paints their romance a lot more clearly with the efforts both parties had made to get back to each other.

[@gauthierloustaunau5396]

As a French myself, I have to admit I disagree with you. France, during this era, was the most powerful military power of Europe, arguably of the world. During renaissance, we have fought against the Holy Roman Empire and Italy on earth, and against the Spanish and the British Empire on sea, and just after the Revolution we've fought alone against the whole Europe reunited, and beat them for 15 years (#Napoléon). And if you're speaking about the place of women during this period, then you're also quite false. Yes, they were great injustice between Nobility and the People, but just look at the history of Jeanne d'Arc : A young girl of 16 years old, a peasant without fortune or great name, without military experience, that have never rely on her father/brother/husband or any man in her life, which have commanded the whole french army, make the king and all the knights bend to her, and become the most famous and important icon of our history. And it was centuries before Cinderella. So yes, there were dozens of women of power in this period. But that's not the point. Also, I don't really know the English culture of this time, but in France we had a huge culture about the chivalrous love (just look of the Arthurian legend, the song of Roland, Tristant et Iseult, ....), so love was said to be the most important thing in the world, way more that fight. So the fact that Cinderella decide to believe in her dream, and not decide to fall into the trap of vengeance, seem pretty logic and positive for me. Knights (chevaliers) always fought for the others (in theory of course, because in reality most of them were as corrupt as anyone) and that's why Cinderella don't fight for her own profit. That's the other that's fight for her, because she deserves it, because she has help them during the movie without asking anything in return. And that's why she is a princess, and not just a Marie Sue. The feminist ideal of : "I don't need anyone, I will do everything by myself", is completely opposed to this old chivalrous ideal, and that's why most modern feminist see her as weak. But she's stronger that they will never be.

[@thesamuraihobbit]

@@gauthierloustaunau5396 I thought Jeanne D'Arc was back in the Hundred-Years War. But hey, you're actually French, you'd know your own country's history better than an American.

[@CrazyMama75]

What drives me nuts about the cultural criticisms of Cinderella is how often people say she was waiting for a man to save her. That's bs. The Prince didn't save her, she saved herself and it gets ignored so often. She works hard and she wanted to go to a party, she spoke up for herself about the desire to go to the ball and even after being attacked still had the bravery to go to the ball. She didn't even realise he was the Prince until the next morning, instead when she found out the prince, a man with legal authority who made her feel nice, wanted to marry her she realised she had a safe out from her abusive household. It's often much harder to leave abuse when you don't know if leaving will be worse than staying. She says it herself with Bruno (paraphasing) "at least we have a roof and food" but when the opportunity was available she not only helped herself but also encouraged Bruno, cos the opportunity was available and she didn't wanna waste the chance she had for freedom for her and her animal friends. A prince is of higher authority than her stepmother, so has the ability to counter any reinforcements lady T attempts. The Prince isn't even there for her rescue, the only man who helps her is the chap who insisted on letting her speak up for herself/try on the shoe -he validated her existence and rights (in this case to try on a shoe which I think is a metaphor for "having a voice" or perhaps freedom considering how fragile it is) even when lady T attempts to invalidate her. The Prince was no where near her when she saved herself with the help for the friends she made by helping them. She helped her mice friends, keeping them safe from cat and fed, and when she needed them they helped her. She saved herself with kindness essentially. It drives me nuts the most of this movie is how the king abused the aid, horrid man.

[@jetnight88]

No one is immune to criticism

[@nurnadhirahsaing6169]

This is true. She never even mention anything about the prince, she only wanted to go to the ball and enjoy the night like normal people would do. She has so much good traits that people overlook just because she's not a action fighting type of princess.

[@zuhuradam1283]

I feel like most of the people criticizing the movie for get that Cinderella is a VICTIM like seriously she’s such a strong woman especially for the environment she was placed in

[@millie209]

The problem is people using "victim" as a dirty word. Yes, she was a victim. That doesnt mean she wasn't also kind and strong. Stop spreading the idea that being a victim of something automatically makes that person lesser or weak. Strong and victim are NOT mutually exclusive terms.

[@zuhuradam1283]

@@millie209 exactly they just assume that because she didn’t physically fight back she was weak and stupid and let a man save her

[@Zazabazaa]

Nowadays there's this idea that you should just fight for your freedom, talk back and be sassy. Even when fighting is not a good option for survival. Some people look at this and immediately assume that she has no agency over her own life.

[@Zazabazaa]

@wolf masque exactly. There's nothing wrong with the strengths that are more tied to femininity and they should be celebrated as strong too. Ripley being written with no gender in mind is perfect in itself too because that just means that her character isn't defined by gender roles. You don't need to be one or the other, you don't need to be both, just don't shun one version of strength due to thinking it "isn't strong enough"

[@EmpressMermaid]

Something often overlooked is that she was financially abused, too. Her father was a well-off man and his property should have been her birthright. Instead, she was robbed not only of her property, but her social status and prospects for the future. A woman of the time who lacked those things had no chance in life.

[@anonymousartist80]

That takes the "Why didn't she just leave?" argument and throws it out the window

[@theresahall3912]

Plus in that time period how many options did she have?

[@EmpressMermaid]

@@theresahall3912 A woman's only options were to marry well or become a lady of the evening. If Cinderella had not had her birthright taken she may have been, as her father's sole heir, one of the rare women with independent wealth who could have a bit of control.

[@theresahall3912]

@@EmpressMermaid exactly my point people get mad at her for falling for the prince and getting saved from a horrible life but she didn't exactly have a lot of options available to her. I doubt many men were going to marry a woman with nothing but her skills and the clothes on her back to offer. The king didn't care who his daughter in law was as long as he got one. He believed that the ball would find miss right and his son would fall in love at first sight but anything else didn't matter.

[@crystalkirlia4553]

FINALLY! Someone who appreciates my goal of being a mother and a homemaker! You have no idea how many arguments I've had with feminists who tell me my dreams are "wrong" or "regressive"! Thank you!

[@adrianghandtchi1562]

People who bring you down are not feminists, Truly they are not. They are something else. Feminists support women, support women’s choice on what they want to do for themselves. It’s disappointing to see, we should be raising each other up not bringing each other down just because one does not fit the narrative.

[@aidanelizabeth]

Yes I completely agree. Feminism is about giving women the right to choose the life they want to live. Women who choose to live more traditional lifestyles are not "less than" women who break down gender roles, and should not be treated as such. Feminists should support and build up ALL women, and anyone who tears down women for their choice to do what makes them happy is not a read feminist.

[@luthientinuviel3883]

Yeah, my mother is very big on uplifting women but she spends all her time taking care of me and my siblings, and she's the strongest woman I know!

[@Musingsofawitch]

You’re dream is beautiful and worthy. I’m sorry that there are people whom want to bring you down or invalidate your dreams. Unfortunately, modern “feminist” have a rather narrow view of what woman should be in this day in age. This video creator made a beautiful and thoughtful video essay. However, she is the minority of her views that traditional female roles are valid if the woman desires to pursue them. Best of luck to you in reaching your dreams.

[@sorcerersapprentice]

@@adrianghandtchi1562 Totally agree. I consider myself a feminist, and I don't think that's regressive at all. Feminism is all about choice. There's nothing wrong with that aspiration.

[@anthonydelfino6171]

You hit the nail on the head. Growing up in an abusive household makes it very easy to succumb to feelings of being worthless or becoming the perpetrator of abuse when you’re older. Cinderella does neither of these things. She not only retains her kindness as you said, but she keeps her sense of self worth. This makes her an important role model for people in a similar situation. She’s been an important role model for me for exactly that reason. But this is a trend with Disney. People demean the films that discuss topics that don’t directly relate to them. We have a similar issue with the core topic in Tarzan being about the love of adoptive families.

[@miamama9886]

At the begining, Cinderella tells the dog (Bruno) try to learn to like cat so he can stay in the house At the end, Cinderella tells the dog to attack the cat so she can escape the house, I mean... it's obiviously Cinderella rescued herself.

[@whatismyadjectiveiconfused]

Yep. Cinderella wasn't weak bcs of not fighting in the beginning. She just waited for the right moment to strike

[@leahn9876]

I remember, as a kid, admiring how Cinderella was always so kind and compassionate to everyone. She was even kind to her awful family, which blew my mind. She might not have been my favorite Disney princess, but I remember seeing her as a role model for compassion and grace.

[@applefarm6126]

It was beautiful

[@PrincessPadmeAmidala]

"Teaching girls to find beauty in the world around them and treat people with kindness is an insanely valuable lesson. People tend to use the physical strength of the newer disney princesses to invalidate the emotional strength of Cinderella." Spot on, princess. I would argue that teaching boys the same thing, is equally as valuable. Because the fact is: If we were all thinking and acting like Cinderella, we'd live in a world without evil. (A.k.a. Heaven)

[@thomaszloi9444]

The fact that modern kids can't take metaphors anymore. Why some fairy tale HAS to be realistic. Wasn't the whole point of Fairy godmother being metaphor of Cinderella's inner strength and ability to dream and never give up.

[@tototats16]

People just take everything at face value these days instead of using their brains

[@setablaze1802]

And even if it's literal, who doesn't like the story of a young woman in an abusive family being extended a helping hand after her and her friends' efforts fall through?

[@taylorsanders57]

We don't understand nuance and it pains me bc for so long we were lied to about it. Things that were just straight racist and misogynistic were told to have deeper meaning and it wasn't so. We now distrust EVERYTHING to a fault 😭 I like that we question everything but I hate that we only look through one lense

[@ktownshutdown21]

FAIRY GODMOTHERS AREN'T REAL, CINEMA SINS DING!

[@amethystimagination3332]

I looked up to Cinderella a lot as a kid, not because she married a prince but because she was patient and kind. Even though she was being horribly abused she was still mentally strong enough to not let her heart get twisted and continue the cycle of abuse.

[@youraveragekindofperson6129]

Cinderella was always my favorite princess cause I could relate to her. It’s weird to think that people would shame me cause I wasn’t “feminist” or that I was “reinforcing sexist behavior” for liking her instead of Tiana or Mulan for example, who are seen as strong independent leaders.

[@themadgamer1217]

“There’s one thing they can’t order me to do: stop dreaming.” Cinderella is a spitefully hopeful princess figure, smiling in the face of all the darkness around her. She’s a good princess to look to in times like this, I think. Nah, you don’t need to calm down. Media like this needs to be discussed, especially in regards to what it’s teaching our children.

[@renalin6864]

I noticed that in videos where people talk about the 'strong' disney princesses, people say "yeah, so strong," and go on with their day. In videos where they talk about 'weak' disney princesses and about how they're actually not weak, you practically get whole essays about how much people agree.

[@aidanelizabeth]

Definitely! I've LOVED getting to read everyone's responses to this video. It's really nice to see that I'm not the only one who views Cinderella this way, and people have brought up some REALLY good points (as well as some great personal connections)

[@buttercupghost]

It really bugs me how victim blame-y a lot of Cinderella criticism comes across. She was in an abusive situation and everyone is upset that she didn’t get out of it, which is something that really bugs me as it mirrors the rhetoric about how it’s a victims fault because they don’t leave the abuse. It really, really bugs me.

[@goodoldfashionedangel]

I will defend Snow White, Cinderella, and Aurora forever. I don't understand the statements being made against them, because most of them are completely false. None of them waited around for a prince to come rescue them. None of them were cowardly or boring. They all took initiative in their own rescues. Snow White took the huntsman's words and ran away, and also was able to find herself a place to stay. And she didn't let the dwarves have control over her either. She never waited for Prince Florian to come rescue her. She dreamed about him, but that doesn't make her any less of a person for doing so. The same can be said for Cinderella and Aurora.

[@jennyraylen8410]

Look, I agree wholeheartedly with everyone else, but there's something else I found inspiring about Cinderella I've seen no one else mention. I was raised to believe that questioning authority = unacceptable under all circumstances. My job was to be submissive to parents and teachers and all adults and to never question. When I watched Cinderella, instead of getting the lesson of "be quiet and kind and do nothing and someone will save you," I got the message of *sometimes your authority figures are wrong, and cruel, and you do not have to obey them.* This seems like such a tiny moment, but when Lady Tremaine starts listing off all the endless chores for Cinderella, she objects! Cinderella stands up for herself! And to me, the idea you can stand up for yourself against authority like that, and it's not framed as something bad, but as righteous and good, that Lady Tremaine is being unfair and evil, that was revolutionary to me as a kid.

[@tototats16]

I've always adored that scene! I don't understand how that part flies over people's heads

[@starrodpiplup]

I'm not a strong person physically. I'd lose in a fight easy. So I feel awkward when people diss on the older disney princesses because they're the ones I find most relatable. Not all of us are gonna be able to climb a huge mountain or beat the huns. Some of us have our strength lie within us. Thank you for making this. Edit: By the way-- as someone who has a similar build to Cindy and the ridiculously small foot size, I can confirm I was the worst person in gym class, so... Yeah. Not physically strong.

[@alyssapinon9670]

Lol I feel you. In middle and high school I developed a bit of a Napoleon complex because of my size so people wouldn’t mess with me. I’m honestly lucky I didn’t get beat up. But now I realize people find me approachable and non threatening because of my size. So I’ve become more sweet and gentle to really turn up the charm. As I get older I realize that there’s nothing wrong with getting a little help just like Cinderella did

[@nurnadhirahsaing6169]

Same. I can say I kinda can fight back at some point but at the same time I'm a coward 😅 I rather solve conflicts in peace rather than went all out in a brawl or something.

[@marshmallowvampire8503]

We need more role models that live by example, have integrity and humility, like Cinderella. But sadly we are losing sight of these virtues without people like her. Women don't need to be swinging swords, guns, and fists to be a good role model.

[@applefarm6126]

Or half naked either, as long as we continue to instill traditional morals and values into children (and explain why, if necessary) the light of the future might grow brighter, I refuse to let society ruin the lives of others who won’t conform to their twisted and devious mindsets.

[@delireent.3960]

And not only women. Men with humility are important too!!

[@Kelaiah01]

Actually, I read a theory somewhere regarding the fact that the prince seemingly didn't recognize Cinderella's face: he actually *did* remember what she looked like. Remember that it was the *Duke* who was using the shoe to try on all the women in the kingdom (after all, the Duke never saw Cinderella up close at the ball - or even if he did, it was only for a flash, not enough time to memorize her face). The theory is that the Prince was out searching through one half of the kingdom himself, trying to locate the mystery woman by her face, while the Duke was using the shoe because he had no other form of identification. Of course, there's still the issue that the Prince could have simply described the mystery woman to the Duke, but then the story wouldn't be nearly as exciting. XD

[@jadehull5777]

That makes sense, and it’s supported in Cinderella 3 when the prince sees Anastasia and says “there must be some mistake,” he KNOWS this is not the woman he fell in love with.

[@CykeMonkey]

To add to this, there's a deleted scene where the Prince meets Cinderella at the castle after the Duke brings her and recognizes her immediately. This scene was restored in Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep.

[@Kelaiah01]

@@CykeMonkey I *loved* that moment! I wish they kept it in. Oh well...

[@fantasylover87]

Great point that you brought up re: equating a strong female character with excelling in traditionally masculine traits. I didn’t realize this until my 20’s, but I’d been so influenced by this idea that I actively rejected wearing pink for most of my childhood and young adult life. Rejecting traditionally feminine traits or viewing them as lesser in feminism discourse is kind of punching down, or at least subdividing us where we don’t need division. It’s basically just self-perpetuating misogyny, just perpetuated by women trying in good faith to raise independent daughters.

[@aidanelizabeth]

Yes! This is exactly it! Wonderfully said!

[@katherinec2759]

I'm starting to see people calling this mindset out, but I think we need to see more of it. Erasing traditionally feminine traits to make "strong" characters doesn't actually make truly strong women. It just makes those who have more of those traditionally feminine traits feel less than.

[@LaurenKills1918]

I always liked how Cinderella just needed some help because asking for help doesn’t make you weak

[@luthientinuviel3883]

Yes, and she didn't get help from strangers, but her friends the animals. She looked out for them, so when she needed help they helped her

[@tototats16]

I love how people praise Elsa for being a "strong and independent" woman with a "rELaTabLe mental illness" while they bash the classic princesses that go through similar situations.

[@eleanorbwells]

You said everything I’ve always wanted to say and more. There’s been a big problem for years about how “feminism” is portrayed as one way and feminine, quite, compassionate women who may fill more traditional gender roles are degraded. Personally, I’ve always resonated more with the latter which is why I love Cinderella so much. The “why didn’t she just leave” argument is so problematic. I’m a huge Disney fan, Cinderella is my all time favorite Disney movie and she is my favorite princess. To me, what powerful about it is how real the stepmother and stepsisters seem. I envy people who can dismiss Cinderella so casually, it’s a very accurate representation of abuse and how difficult it can be to leave an abusive situation. But she also goes through it all with grace and compassion, never sinking to the level of her abusers. She’s rewarded for it in the end, and that’s incredibly powerful. I could wax poetic about this movie all day, but thank you for your perspective, I love what you said about emotional strength as well. 💙

[@aidanelizabeth]

Thank you, and thank you for sharing your thoughts! That was very well said!

[@paschameleon]

Technically Cinderella did save herself. When she was locked in her room she told the mice to get the key and then she told the birds to get Bruno in order to get rid of the cat. The came up with the plan.

[@sophiamikell7490]

Exactly, I want to see the fem nazis make it with their advice in abusive relationships.

[@chloegrant5204]

Putting Cinderella in the context of abuse puts a sour taste in my mouth when considering the remake. There's one scene where someone asks Cinderella "why don't you just leave?" and Cinderella is like, "well I promised my mother I would take care of the house" (or something along those lines). Knowing that Cinderella is abused and how so many abuse victims are asked the EXACT same question is just...victim blaming 101 and ignorant of her struggles. Then hearing Cinderella say that she promised her mother to stay makes it even worse because it completely undermines many of the motivations why abuse victims can't (or find it extremely difficult to) leave. And thus is another reason why I think the remakes are thoughtless and I hate them (don't get me STARTED on the Mulan remake)

[@sophiamikell7490]

I never thought of that. She is still strong in the remake like she stopped a hunting party from hunting. She held on to her mother's words of "have the courage and be kind." She asked the prince would you marry me for what I am and she loved her mice and animals. But yeah if they were going down that route how about, "My father doomed me by marrying a spiteful woman and he died leaving me almost no will and no source of income. Then I am a woman, if I tried to find work my stepmother would make sure I got turned down and then I would be in the streets homeless or a brothel. Then since my virginity is gone, probably have an std and no dowry. All I have is courage and kindness and shelter that is mine but I am treated like a slave." But yeah the remakes went downhill quickly. Mulan's remake is a burning pile of crap and Beauty and the Beast is butchered beyond belief.

[@jandm4ever716]

I personally think the Cinderella remake is best of the remakes. She can still be a victim of abuse and want to keep her home safe from her step family.

[@Litalici0us]

thankkks Cinderella's personality is so underrated ! especially when we watch the second and third movie! She is ofen compared to aurora and snow white but she has way more nerves than them. Same as you i used to think she was apassive victim for years but watching it as an adult (almost everyday lol) i realize that she is strong. Anyway, mouses are ruining the movie. Too much time losing on them

[@alyssapinon9670]

Agreed! She’s definitely the most badass of the classic Disney princesses in my personal opinion. I remember re watching it with my cousin after many years and I could feel Cinderella’s warmth through the screen. I almost cried thinking how much I had bought into the idea of Cinderella being weak and terrible when she was so far from it. I owe her and women similar to her an apology

[@HG-qo9cx]

I would go one step further and say that being able to act with kindness in an abusive situation takes a lot of self-control. This takes more strength than risking one’s own life like Mulan or Belle regardless of whether the reason is positive or not.

[@sophiamikell7490]

Though I agree I am going to argue a bit on the Belle part. She had the kindness to be kind when she needed to be (for the most part) and tough to a man that liked to abuse. She fell for him WHEN he started to change and he did his part in the relationship. She is a lot like Cinderella in that way.

[@juliaenter5305]

I'm really happy more people perceive Cinderella this way! I have always loved her and her story (tho I do agree the movie is not perfect) to the point that I had all the gadgets with her image and I dressed up as her at every kindergarten costume party lol. Only when I got older I saw people criticise her for being passive, weak etc and it really surprised me because I've always considered her strong and hard-working. I agree with everything you said about her maintaining positivity despite years of abuse. Also when she finally got a chance to change her fate and do something for herself, she did it - she fought to go to the ball, and when Lady Tremaine locked her, she fought to get out. Indeed people tend to oversee and simplify her story because we're so used to it and it's "just a cartoon". For instance, the scene when her stepsisters literally rip her clothes off her is terrifying and I'm sure (or at least I hope) if it actually happened in real life no one would doubt that. Cinderella is strong because no matter what happens she's kind, positive, caring and never loses hope. And I think it's important to teach children that strength and can come in different forms - it can be earing your own business like Tiana, finally learning to love and believe in yourself like Elsa, or coping with hard times and remaining benevolent like Cindy. :D Also, the idea that you have to be rebellious and excell at "manly tasks" to be strong and independent is detrimental. It presents feminity as a weakness and it's just as toxic as the idea of women "belonging in the kitchen". Those "typically female" characteristics like kindness, sympathy or protectivness are equally important and should be celebrated. Not meaning to diminish princesses like Mulan, Pocahontas or Tiana here - they're awsome! But in the end everyone is different and, like I said, there're many definitions of "strong". What's more, I associate this idea of "feminine strength", which applies to Cinderella or Belle, with Barbie movies as well. I've seen negative comments about them promoting the traditional standards for woman, which is being kind and all of that. But once again Barbie is strong, not because she rejects feminity, but because it empowers her. She's not strong despite those features, because there is no need for "despite" - they don't exclude each other. She is kind and girly, as well as asertive and shapes her own story. I just thought of that now, because I've been seeing a lot of criticism about her. Also, speaking of Mulan I think there is another misinterpretation/stereotype about her. People say she was (physically) strong, boyish and badass since the beginning, which is not true actually. We see she's actually frightened to go to war (which is understandable of course). What made her strong was not not being afraid, but acting despite her fear. Also she felt misunderstood in her community with the roles society imposed on her, but she also felt unconfortable among those soldiers - not only did she feel like she didn't belong with these men, but also couldn't cope with the physical tasks at first. She gradually improved and became a great soldier. Imo that's what made Mulan, as a character, relatable and likeable. (Well in the only movie I too care about XD) Maybe that's also an interesting topic for another video. :) Well sorry for the long comment, looks like I got too much into it as well. XD Great video and I'm looking forward to the next ones!

[@bexthewitch87]

Also anyone else notice that during that attack, Cindy was protecting her face? Because I do. And it chills me.

[@EmilyRitcheson]

"It's almost like people get mad at her for getting out of the abusive situation because she didn't get out of it the way that they think she should." THIS!!!!! I SCREAMED!!!!!

[@Birruaze]

About domestic abused and the Ball, I'd like to add something too. You said it clearly, Cinderella didn't know anyone outside of her home. This is a behavior very common in abusing environments. We know she couldn't leave the house and we saw how they locked her up so she couldn't meet the Prince guards when they came looking for the glass shoe. I believe that the reasons Cinderella was so keen on going to the Ball is more about her looking for a way out that just wanting a normal and cute day. Victims of abuse need a healthy support system to overcome their situation. It is extremely hard to get out of this abusing cycle on our own, that's why we seek the help of friends and family. Cinderella having no friends (and her family being the abuser) had no other way to find this external support than going to a social event where she could meet other people. I'd even say that her rushing back home was more about self doubt and fear of their abusers than the magic wearing off. See, this is very complicated stuff but it's very common for victims to feel guilty. Guilt for trying to get out, for leaving/betraying their "loved ones" (in this case, her family but it might as well be a partner). And with the guilt, fear of the repercussions if this doesn't work out. And all of this provides a stronger perspective on the climatic scene, where she tries everything to reach out for this people she met. These people that can help her getting out. If you watch it from this perspective it's really painful and sad how much she wanted to get out despite everything. But it's also so rewarding to see how she did it with the help of her friends and her own cleverness. Cinderella is such a beautiful character honestly. And I'm pretty sure than, from this point onward, she'd have all the means necessaries to keep herself out of any abusing environment (if she ever needs to).

[@dzravt]

Really cool analysis. The prince was only in the movie for about 3mins max and Cinderella didn't even think of marriage until the prince proposed. All she did was accept, she didn't have to but she was finally emotionally strong enough to take the chance. Technically she did that earlier by going to the ball. It was the first step. Also it was extremely rare for women back then to own things let alone make a living by themselves without support (yes, usually a husband). Cinderella wasn't a rebel/revolutionary, she worked within the conventions of her time and that's ok.

[@asmiaryal3942]

ikr

[@elisemarek2035]

i love how calm the prince is. “no, wait. come back. oh, please come back.”

[@naturally_roisin]

you're so right about cinderella being dependent on lady tremaine. i actually think cinderella's development may have been stunted due to her abuse, so while she can cook and clean, she wouldn't know how to/be able to live independently. i say this as someone who knows someone who went through a real-life abuse situation. it was only when her "prince charming" came into their life that she seemed to pluck up the courage to leave, but actually, she just reached maturity later than most our age because of her situation. her maturity gave her the ability to leave and the ability to enter a stable relationship. they're still together to this day ♡

[@farahnursingserious585]

aww so sweet. Im going through tht rn and struggling!

[@jovanym2931]

The best sister - bond relationship isn’t from frozen is from lilo and stitch

[@loganmiller7827]

I'm really glad you pointed out that Cinderella did not care at all whether or not she met the prince at the ball, let alone even realizing that she did in fact meet him. She just wanted to have a fun night out, and she makes that very clear in the movie. She only mentions the prince at the ball as an excuse to run away

[@fayescarlet]

Even if Cinderella was never physically abused, the emotional abuse was still very traumatizing. I always feel it in my gut, when Cinderella physically backs away from Lady Tremaine, when all Tremaine did was simply walk towards her ominously. My dad never raised a hand to me, but he could be so scary and intimidating that it could FEEL like a slap. Cinderella was one of my anchors growing up. It's HARD to keep smiling when you're in an abusive situation, and I admired Cinderella's strength and compassion. Brilliant essay!

[@candyc3314]

Cinderella is one of if not the strongest disney princess due to what she went through. To be able to suffer abuse on a daily basis for years upon years and still come out of it kind and compassionate for others is amazing.

[@roxycauldwell544]

I disagree on the "getting the prince laid" part, I really think that at that time getting married at a certain age was heavily pushed, and the king had a selfish desire for grandkids without even confronting his son. (Parents STILL do this today) It's implied by the Duke in their conversation that the prince wouldn't be all that down with the idea of shacking up with any girl forcefully or maybe even at all. Even at the ball he seemed bored and even awkward meeting hundreds of women, but was drawn to Cinderella naturally.

[@JediLadyMisty]

Victims of abuse sometimes need someone to help them leave because they can’t leave the abusive situation themselves. My mom was verbally and emotionally abused by her ex husband to the point that when he told her to leave she had to call a friend to come and take her and her child away. She stayed with him because she wanted the marriage to work so she poured he heart and soul into preserving it but he didn’t care. Cinderella didn’t go to the ball to find a man, she went because she wanted to (and her presence had been requested by the King as she was unmarried and wasn’t being courted). As for why she didn’t leave she’s living in a chateau that appears to be far from town and other homes and people might not realize that Ella is there and needs help. How do we know that Lady Termaine didn’t tell everyone that Ella died of the same illness that claimed her father? If anyone visited that knew Ella the house and property are big enough that she could have been sent away to do some task and to use the Servant’s Stairs and gone completely unseen by visitors. As for leaving, even if she managed to get into town and look for work she would have to say who she used to work for so they could find out what kind of worker she was and Lady Termaine could either completely screw her over by saying that she’s a terrible worker or claim that she’s an indentured servant who ran away? Depending on when her dad died she might not know that she’s either gentry or low ranking nobility and Ella might be a common enough name that no one would connect her to Lady Ella. And people that set out to abuse make sure to cut their victims off from the world outside and depend on them. With her abusive family Ella has food, nice clothing and shoes, a place to sleep out of the elements and knows what to expect while if she left there’s no guarantee that she’ll have any of those things. Abusers are sick, sick people who know how to manipulate their victims. To be fair it was probably kinda dark as there would have been candles lighting the place and later moon and starlight and it was the Grand Duke taking the slipper around. I would argue that her fairy godmother gave her the opportunity to meet the prince but it was the mice and other animals that ultimately helped save her from a life of forced servitude.

[@nurnadhirahsaing6169]

This is so true. People tend to overlook these important aspects when they're criticizing her. The timeline also play an important role to the story as it happened in era where it is not modern and have different culture/believes/lifestyle/etc.

[@Kayla-13]

I recently re-watched the movie and I forgot how much I loved her as a character. Her unconditional kindness to the only friends she had made, the animals, lead to them being there for her when she needed help. When she was too busy doing the chores and did not know that the mice and birds had made her dress, she held her head up high and stated she wasn't going to the ball anymore. She knew what her step family was trying to do. They wanted to see her break down, and she wasn't about to let them see her like that. She isn't unaware of the fact that what is happening to her is wrong. The only time she actually cries is when they rip up her dress. She thought that for once she could finally be happy even if it was just for a few hours and that dream was torn to shreds. It's crazy how throughout the whole movie, she brings up wanting to be happy and everyone twists her words to mean she wanted the prince. I don't think she cared if the man she danced with was a commoner or royalty. She just wanted a different life where she could find the happiness she dreamed of... She gets locked in her room by her step mother and her mice help get her out. She had almost given up but seeing her friends fight to free her made her want to continue fighting. Had she not told the birds to get Bruno when the cat was trying to eat Gus, she would have never been freed. She DID fight for herself. Just because she didn't use magic or cool fight moves doesn't mean she isn't a strong, determined, and self-assured woman. She knew that if she didn't get to try on that slipper and prove she was the woman who had danced with the prince, she would NEVER be free. I doubt her step mother would allow her to ever go outside again. It was her only chance to escape and she took it. She got away from her abusive family and could finally be happy. Her dream came true: happiness. That dream just happened to include a prince.

[@thomasdevine867]

Why not look at the many other versions of the story of Cinderella? In the Irish Cinderella, she wins her alliance with her "Fairy Godmother" through acts of courage and compassion. The English Cinderella does it all by herself with no magic. The Appalachian Cinderella tricks an evil step-parents into providing the dresses and a magical suitcase for transport and storage. You could fill a book with Cinderellas.

[@applefarm6126]

Yea never heard of that

[@katherinec2759]

@@applefarm6126 It's not well known at all. But just about every culture has some folk tale about someone rising above her horrible family/circumstances and doing very well for themselves. (Most are girls, but one or two "Cinderellas" are men.) There was a whole series of picture books when I was a kid of "The [Nationality] Cinderella." I have no idea what publisher they came from, though. I remember the covers were mostly white, but that doesn't help a ton.

[@aidanelizabeth]

Table of Contents Background - 2:40 Physical Abuse - 3:47 Positivity - 6:26 How We View Strength - 8:53 Why Didn't She Leave? - 12:36 We Give The Prince Too Much Credit - 17:58 Intention vs. Interpretation - 20:26

[@lisaleyendekker8305]

in an answer to "why didn't she leave?" there is an explanation for that. In the beginning narration, we are told "Cinderella was abused, humiliated, and finally forced to become a servant in her own house", which shows that she has been abused by her family to the point where she has no outside resources, friends, or contacts. During the whole movie, up until the night of the ball, we never see her leave the house or property and she is constantly working, meaning the family has conditioned her to be subservient and distracted with work so she can't even think of leaving. Also, if she leaves, where is she going to go? She has no human friends or people who know her. She would need references and connections to get work and Women aren't typically hired for jobs. Her stepfamily owns the house and controls the money, so they have made Cinderella dependent upon them for any food or lodging since she does not receive payment for her work. this is typicall for abusers to cut thier victims off from the outside world and to make them dependent on them for survival. Finally, she didn't "wait for a prince to save her" she wanted a night off where she didn't have to be the Servant for a night. The prince was really just a perk that came with the night off and a reward for staying strong and kind in the midst of so much abuse. And when the time came for the GRAND DUKE to come with the slipper, she was locked in her room, screaming for someone to open the door, giving instructions to her animal friends to free her, having quick thinking to get rid of Lucifer, and rushing down the stairs shouting for the Duke to wait because that slipper was her ticket out of there, not the prince. She was proactive in her escape from the house because she was finally given a lifeline. The Prince was a human she could escape to and the slipper was the identifier that she was the one he needed to look for. It's much like a concerned friend (Prince) calling the Police (Grand Duke)to help someone being abused in a domestic situation and providing evidence (slipper) that this person needs to be taken out of there and the victim (cinderella) is the only one who can confirm that if the abusers (stepfamily) didn't already give that away(by locking her in the tower, lying and saying she wasn't there, trying to convince the duke she isn't worth notice, and breaking the slipper).

[@toothlesshat7581]

So like, this is pretty personal but I was in a similar abusive household. I actually had the chance to leave but my abuser, one of my parents no less, had convinced me that it was unnecessary or too rash so I never did. It took a huge event (much like Cinderella getting her opportunity to go to the ball, I think) for me to finally find the strength to leave. All this to say that it’s incredibly hard and scary to escape those situations, even when you DO have another place to go. I really adore her and, just as a fellow abuse survivor, I feel like her story is really well done.

[@Duncadinca]

Top tier video, homie. Honestly, at this point in time, I'm more tired of the 'feisty, independent' Princess trope than I am of the traditionally feminine kind. I'll watch every upcoming Disney movie like the blind consumer I am, but if the next Princess is a copy of Elsa or Moana personality wise, I won't be as interested as I could be. Keep your efforts goin! Also, if you make another video essay, I'd recommend adding background music, just to keep the viewer slightly more engaged. Also also, that Kazoo playin was the hottest showcase of musical talent since the last time I publicly played the air triangle.

[@aidanelizabeth]

Thank you! I wouldn't say that I'm "tired" of the new style of princesses. After all, my 2 favorites are Mulan and Tiana. What bothers me the most is how strength is being presented. The problem is less with the individual movies, and more with the fact that this is the only type of media we're getting now. The exact opposite of the problem we had before. That's a good suggestion! I definitely considered adding music, but I was worried it would be distracting. I'll keep that in mind next time.

[@leeshdee9269]

I agree. In my humble opinion, tbh, Moana (the character), is totally overrated. She is nowhere near top tier, in the Disney Princess range.

[@wysteriasparkle6189]

Oh my gosh THANK YOU! As a girl, I'm getting tired of the "see how independent she is, look how feminist she is" princess too. Not that I hate the traits themselves; it's because of the WHY. Let's be honest - Disney gives the public what they want. Most of the time, they do it so that their princesses don't come off as "problematic" and not "smart and independent" enough. There is strength in feminity and masculinity; I wish women (and men) would realize that and embrace feminity. People are being sexist and they do not even realize it, unfortunately. If I am being honest, I want another Snow White. Another Cinderella. Heck, even another Aurora. I just want people to see that you can be strong as you are without having to change anything about your identity.

[@kieranstark7213]

I would love to see more women in the industry be portrayed as BOTH “feisty and independent” AND “traditionally femininely kind” rather than just “feisty, (in)dependent and traditionally femininely, masculinely or generally unkind” like Mikalea Banes from Bayformers and Sam Puckett in Sam & Cat.

[@AnywayJenniferSim]

I was actually a little disappointed when I saw the trailer for Raya. Don’t get me wrong, it looks like it could be a great movie. I’m just tired of action-hero female leads.

[@madi7178]

Meaning: Cinderella did in fact take the first opportunity to leave when she got it.

[@AppleStrawberryLove]

Thank you! As a victim of abuse, I've come love Cinderella more after getting out than as a kid. People overlook how strong she had to be to get to that point to go to the ball without caving in to the abuse and giving up. But it's part of what I didn't like about the live action remake. We clearly are shown she has a support system that is actively giving her opportunities to leave, she's not restricted by her stepmother, and we see that the things her stepfamily does don't affect her as much which means I struggle much more to buy into her situation. Especially when her reason is "memory" and she has equally powerful memories with the people reaching out. But that is a different story/issue

[@sarah-hymes]

THIS IS AMAZING! I am glad that you chose to discuss this because I think this is a great example of a very prevalent problem in our society. Cinderella has always been one of my (if not THE) favorite Disney Princesses, and at one point, I too had gotten on the Cinderella hate train. What you talk about, though, is very well thought out and presents a good alternative thinking for her character. I do believe there are many other characters we could discuss in the same vain, for example Jo March from Little Women. I could go on for years about Jo and how she should still be perceived as a feminist. This was very well done and I think people should hear this message.

[@aidanelizabeth]

Thank you so much! I definitely think it's important to talk about characters like Cinderella. I'm a strong believer that how we think about/interact with media, mirrors how we think about/interact with the real world. Jo March is another fantastic example of this. Especially since so many of the criticisms of her character mirror common societal criticisms of women/feminism. Definitely an interesting character to talk about.

[@ayumikamukura1041]

Cinderella is a strong emotionally character, dude girl was abused emotionally and as someone said in the comments even in financial way, the fact that she was able to keep being loving and kind to people is in fact a miracle

[@ThiefRikku-dc2cj]

I always loved Cinderella due to how strong of heart she is. Cinderella has had EVERYTHING taken from her. Her room, her belongings and was made a made a maid in her own her. Her step family tried to break her through their abusive behavior towards her but she refuses to go down because if she does, they win. She won't break even when they nearly broke her, her fairy godmother appeared telling her she still has strength of heart. All Cinderella wanted was to have a night off not to get a man like people believe. Her night at the ball she was just in awe in being there and not throwing herself at the prince. The prince shows interest in Cinderella because she is not there for him and her immediately goes to talk with this girl. Cinderella and the prince talk all night and he finds her intriguing but when midnight comes she has to leave and she realizes time has went by and she hasn't given her regards to the prince and it's that moment he sees she didn't even know he was the prince and maybe an chaperone for a female family member. I think if I go on I may seem to be rambling but your video explains alot was Cinderella is best.

[@elizabethjane7015]

I have always loved and looked up to Cinderella and the classic Disney princesses! Positivity and kindness are huge strengths. The idea that strength has to be displayed as physical is so alienating and disempowering to those of us with disabilities! Thank you!

[@marielsea2292]

Thank you!!! I'm Physically disabled myself and there are actually very few things I can do without help. I fell in love with Disney Princesses because their strengths weren't physical.

[@naly202]

I simply HATE that people apply modern standards to old stories and movies and refuse to research the historical context. The movie was made in the 50s- Cinderella is made to represent the female model of the era: beautiful, elegant, fashionable, hardworking housewife, THAT TYPE of women who rebuilt Britain, Germany, and all those countries destroyed by WWII. And she does this beautifully: she is strong, hardworking and cheerful in spite of adversity. She is also the embodiment of the modern US woman (of the 50s). The fairytale, on the other hand was written in the 18th- 19th centuries. Anyone who ever read Jane Austen or the Bronte Sisters knows that a girl COULDN'T just run away from home and live on her own. If she did so, most likely she'd end up in the streets begging or selling her body. Fantine from Les Miz is a good example. The only way of leaving her house respectably was through marriage, if anyone would have her, and very early. At 20 she'd be considered old. In those times women had much tougher lives, and they were more equipped for dealing with problems than today. They didn't moan about trying to find themselves, they knew exactly what they were, and what needs to be done, and were quite proud of their achievements.

[@sophiamikell7490]

Exactly! Historical context is everything.

[@tototats16]

Same thing with Beauty and the Beast and then the remake stomped all over it

[@naly202]

@@tototats16 yes indeed. I read somewhere that the story was written in an era when poor young girls were married off to older men who could provide for them. The story was encouraging them to dig deeper and try to love their husbands for their hidden virtues, regardless of age or deformities. It was a very sad situation but, alas, very common- literature is full of examples of older men with young wives (who were sometimes miserable and sometimes unfaithful) Come to think of it, the beginning of Othello is very similar to the Beauty and the Beast: Desdemona falls in love with the much older man, in spite of his hulky appearance (enhanced by the racial prejudices of the time). She loves his courage, loyalty and gentleness. One could say Othello is a sort of reversed Beauty and the Beast. The beast starts by being menacing and ill tempered, but becomes gentle, Othello starts gentle but is turned into a beast by his consuming jealousy. Btw, Othello has always been one my favourite Shakespearian plays. So damn well written.

[@valerielaurence]

Nowadays, we find it weird that the prince doesn't recognize her face (and with good reason) But the thing is, there were no electricity back then. Even with chandeliers, it was probably very dark and hard to see (like I know people used to wear golden or silver clothes to reflect the little light they had). That would also explain why her step-mother and step-sisters don't really know it's her. When I see adaptations that take place in the 2000's, I find it stupid and hard to believe that he can't recognize her. But I give him the benefit of the doubt when the story takes place in the 1700's/1800's

[@spookyspirits4462]

Remember that scene where she scolds bruno for dreaming of chasing the cat? She tells him if we wants to keep a roof over his head, he needs to stop thinking of chasing the cat as the cat is lady tremaines pet. I think its very clear there why she stays in the household.

[@geneviekent396]

Given everything she’s gone through it’s a wonder she has any strength at all. She hasn’t known love since she was little, and hasn’t known peace either. Scary enough, a more realistic depiction of someone in her situation would be even more passive, shut down, and weakened. When she gets hurt it’s an absolute marvel that she picks herself up and I admire her so greatly for that. The world has given her nothing but pain and yet she still shows love. The fact that people expect so much strength from someone who has suffered that much trauma and abuse is terrifying to me. I think her story is gorgeous. As for the prince, he was one of the first (after the fairy godmother) to show her compassion since her father died. He was able to give her a new home, love, support, and a new life, which is what she more than deserved. To me it totally makes sense that she finds her escape in him, as their marriage provided everything she needed. The fact that she’s shamed for “being saved by a man” is sad to me because it was never about his ability to save, it was her deserving what he could give her. She couldn’t have given herself what she needed without someone else. Furthermore, the lesson of that isn’t the dependency of women on men, it’s the beauty of real love and healing. If the genders were reversed, you could still have the same story (though in a different setting, as Cinderella’s wouldn’t allow a woman to have the power to give a man what the prince does her). Basically I defend this movie real hard.

[@goldendiamon]

Cinderella did find a way to fight the abusers though...You don't need brute to be strong...She never let them know her plans and knows when to.She is not weak and it's not her fault when she got abused because abuse should never be normalized in the first place

[@PrincessTreasure]

People give the early princesses so much shit but not everyone is always in control of their situation.

[@quinnfletcher3906]

These complaints are made by women who are so used to society rolling over backwards for them that they cannot understand what it is like to be in a situation like Cinderella.

[@nurnadhirahsaing6169]

True. Like, not everyone can save themselves alone, sometimes we need help from others. Also, reality is cruel and unapologetic. Just because we want something, doesn't mean we will get it.

[@souhiyori8032]

Putting oneself to another's shoes is such an uncommon thing now, huh. She was literally treated like a slave.

[@silvergust]

This is very true. Aurora was literally cursed at birth and didn't even have much knowledge on the event when she got older... she couldn't rlly control much at ALL nor had the resources to. Snow White was just a child who decided to make the best of her situation, and despite her being a bit compliant, she works hard to get what she wants in the meantime and builds a familial relationship with the dwarves. And of course, Cinderella represents optimism and kindness even in the worst scenarios.

[@Zazabazaa]

DO NOT LET YOUR KIDS WATCH THE LIVE ACTION ONE. Everything that they did right in the animated version is everything got wrong in the live action version. And yet they call it the more progressive movie! She was a fleshed out character with emotional turmoil - make her smile all the time! Part of her abuse was isolation, so that it would be more difficult for her to leave - they show her going for rides and talking to HUMAN friends about how she won't leave (which could have been handled well if they focused more on how this aspect of a victim of abuse and the way they can be manipulated into believing that isn't viable but nah, she just leaves the house she swore not to leave once a nice dude wants her) She just wants a night out of dancing so she can feel happy for a brief moment in her life - she goes to the ball because she met a man in the woods and thought he was nice. When she is locked away from her happily ever after she panics and does everything she can to escape, getting the mice friends she has made to help her - she spins and sings while the mice open a window so the guards can hear her up there.

[@Miniae_Cecilia]

Tbh as a girl that grew being abused by my mother and then by my foster family after my dad died for a year, I had to beg to escape my situation because as a 12 year old child with no control I can seriously relate to her.. I only escaped because other people saved me...

[@jayjaythejetplane2815]

Lovely video and well done! I couldn’t agree more over your defense of this character.. I KNEW 3-year-old me wasn’t wrong to love her and dress up as her for Halloween! It’s honestly therapeutic to see these points being addressed by another person. I have thought about the character in a very similar way for a good while and was never vocal about it because of the criticisms I was surrounded with, even going as far as to briefly jump on the hate train because I just assumed I was wrong! So yes thank you for making this! Would love to see more commentary content from you in the future.

[@aidanelizabeth]

I'm glad you enjoyed! This video was a ton of fun to make and hopefully I'll make some more analysis videos in the future! I could definitely rant about quite a few pieces of media, the trick is getting those rants to sound as eloquent as possible hahaha

[@cameronstewart6636]

The ball was not about “getting laid”, but continuing the kingdom into the future. Having a queen to rule with and an heir to pass the kingdom to. Other than that, phenomenal defense of a great character.

[@FabBrigade]

Lady Tremaine (if I remember correctly) kind of incites her daughters to rip up Cinderella's dress.

[@GenAqua]

Yes. Cause she mentioned certain elements of Cinderella's dress, which caused her daughters go after Cinderella for "stealing" items that belong to them, despite the fact that they had previously discarded said items.

[@shrutigupta186]

the victim blaming PAINS me, i can tell, as a survivor of emotional and physical abuse, even in the 21st century, when i had a police station to run away to, a court to ask justice from, friends to provide me temporary shelter, it was yet IMPOSSIBLE to see the light in the dark, it is impossible to take a step, it is terrifying, unthinkable to "JUST DO SOMETHING" or "JUST LEAVE" and considering Cinderella is a story based centuries ago, when women were treated like trash and were not allowed to make their own money in any "respectable" way, there was literally no way she could've "left" or "fought back". Excellent essay!

[@winry2357]

I know it’s been a while, but I’m defense of the Prince, the ball was being held because the king wanted him to settle down, get married, and have kids. You know, security of the kingdom and all that. He didn’t know Cinderella’s name, he just had her shoe and told his father that he would marry the woman that wore the shoe to the ball. The king took that to mean any woman that could fit in the shoe would be good enough. The Prince didn’t even go with in search of the girl that fit the shoe, probably because he was looking for her face (we don’t know as we don’t get anything from strictly his pov). Our big clue for that is “I don’t even know your name, how will I find you?” He’s distraught. He found a girl that didn’t even know or care that he was a prince and she was getting away with no real clue outside of a shoe and what her face looked like. I feel like even though we don’t see much of the Prince, dude doesn’t even get a name, we still have a lot to go on for character depth. He was interested in Cindy because she wasn’t looking to get in line and butter him up, she was in awe of her surroundings. They were able to spend time together and converse. At the end, her excuse for leaving was that she hadn’t met the Prince yet, and he thought it was a joke. She really didn’t know until she was told he had been the Prince and that he wanted to marry her. I really love the simplicity of the animated movie. They don’t assume you need everything to be spelled out for you. It’s beautiful.

[@shojodraws3399]

THANK YOU! I find it SO WEIRD that a group called Feminists tends to look down on inherently feminine traits and call them weak. PS: Telling someone to leave an abusive relationship isn't easy, especially if it's family. They might not treat her well, but that's the only family Cinderella has left, she has no one else to go to. Leaving a toxic relationship is hard, leaving a toxic household is so much harder and no one should have to do it alone. Cinderella didn't go to the ball hoping to meet the prince, she just wanted the night out and through her good works, positivity, and charity, luck paid her out by bringing her true love and a way out.

[@interrobangings]

i get furious when people badmouth cindy she's a lesson in kindness persevering over hate, not "waiting for a man to save her"

[@Emily-rv4ue]

i dont think the idea of having a ball to find a wife for the prince is problematic, royals were all about grand gestures and celebrations back then. plus, if i'm remembering correctly, there is a line somewhere in the movie where the King says something about the prince not dedicating much of his time tocourting women, like he's too busy with all his other duties and stuff, so the ball is like a very extravagant way to speed date and find a woman

[@Wawagirl17]

I think that critics tend to forget that Cinderella had been stuck with these people (her stepmother and stepsisters) since she was a very little girl. Viewers act as though Cinderella, as a fully grown adult, just kinda moved in with them and let herself be pushed around like an idiot. But her father, the only caring parent in her life, tragically died when she was a small child, and she gradually became brainwashed while grief-stricken. Brainwashed to believe that this was her new duty and role in life, to serve her only living family. And if during her entire upbringing she was never allowed to leave the home, why wouldn't she develop a fear to do so as an adult? That's only natural. But people skip over that backstory in the opening and trauma and context and just think, "Damn, she's so passive and dumb." That level of isolation, not even factoring in the time period, makes Cinderella's situation extremely believable, and the only surprising part really is her kindness and positive attitude through it all.

[@brandyloutherback9288]

At the end of the day, Cinderella did try to get out of her locked room!

[@SevenEllen]

Yes! :D Plus, she thought quick under pressure to work out how. She had ONE shot at it or she'd have run out of time FOREVER. That is commendable. ^_^

[@GuineaPig361]

Cinderella paved the way for Belle; she's in the middle of my list because I respect her despite the limitations of her times.

[@donnguyen1107]

Even beyond the Disney version, some of the original Cinderella characters from around the world are a lot stronger than given credit for. Charles Perrault's Cinderella which is where Disney's version comes from, remains kind and generous even at the ball when she shares food with her stepsisters when she could've easily treated them the way they did her, and she forgives them after fitting the slipper and sets them up with lordly husbands. The Grimm Brothers' Aschenputtel has her kindness and humility come from a promise made to her late mother to keep that part of herself and she finds her mother's spirit watching over her through the birds in a hazel tree. The Chinese Yeh Shen's kindness towards her fish friend is rewarded with the dress and shoes by the magic in his bones after her stepfamily kills and eats him, trying to take away her one joy in her only friend, and she's not even dancing with a prince let alone looking for one and only leaves the party when her stepsister gets suspicious. The Korean Cinderella Pear Blossom doesn't even bother with a pretty dress and shoes when going to a festival and just gets her plowing work done with some help from an ox so she can go party. An African folktale has Nyasha rewarded for her generosity towards a hungry boy, humility in accepting advice from an old woman, and courage in facing down an alleged monster. In Vietnam, we have Tam going to the party and meeting a guy, but after they marry, her stepmother kills her yet because of her kindness, she's able to reincarnate until she's completely resurrected and is adopted by a kind old woman until her beloved finds her again (And she tricks her stepsister into getting boiled alive and her stepmother into eating said stepsister).

[@kellymcvey4494]

I love how you have explain everything about Cinderella. The not leaving thing I think is two fold. First, that was her home before it was her step family. Second, where would she go? It’s not like she has close friends or neighbors that aren’t animals.

[@annabaker8137]

Fun fact: The reason for the glass slipper fitting was because up until the industrial revolution shoes were almost always custom made for each specific person.

[@anacardoso9822]

I like your point about the actual amount of force it would take to rip the dress to shreds like that. I always focused on the emotional abuse part of it and never really stopped to consider the physical violence as well and how that means Cinderella may have endured even beatings at some point.

[@sweetpotato552]

Probably my favorite line in the whole movie was when the fairy god mother gently assures her that by midnight the spell will be broken. The script and voice acting on that scene is on point! When she says - “Oh I understand; it’s just, it’s more than I ever hoped for” You get to see what her character is all about. She didn’t need all of that; yet she is given more. She understood that she only had until midnight. It was more than enough for her.

[@aidanelizabeth]

Such a lovely line!

[@clairelin0216]

There are also people who said that Cinderella defying her stepmother is wrong. Like, her stepmother was abusive, she forced Cinderella to be a servant when she can live like a normal person, there's more than one Disney princesses who are in a situation where the stepparent is abusive, when saying "defying parents/stepparent", we need to understand the situation of which those things take place, is the parent/stepparent abusive, overprotective, unwilling to listen, do they gaslit the princess for their own selfish reasons. Those are the things people have to think about when you say "Defying parental authority is wrong" Considering the time frame that the story was set in, even if Cinderella managed to run away, where would she go from there? It's not like in modern time you can go online to find a job at that time, and young women at that time didn't really have much job opportunities. I feel like a lot of people judge Disney princesses' actions and experiences without contexts and then blame them for their actions.

[@GrandmaGlitter23]

As a girl who's always had a hard time being outspoken and had a hard time asking for help and standing up for myself, I felt like I could always relate to Cinderella more than any other Disney princess. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the strong-willed Disney princesses and I think they're very important! But, what I love about Cinderella is that she can be someone that people relate to who aren't strong-willed and who care a lot about being compassionate. And it also teaches the value of asking for help! I have ADHD and Dyscalculia, and asking for help in school growing up was always really hard, I felt ashamed of myself a lot. But Cinderella through her interaction with her Fairy Godmother taught me that I am a good person and I am worthy of receiving the help that I need. Cinderella is easily my favorite Disney princess because of that.

[@怪怪的神探]

same for me. stay strong

[@donnguyen1107]

Walt Disney himself said: “Snow white was a kind simple little girl who dreamed of wishing and waiting for her Prince Charming to come along. Now Cinderella was more practical. She believed in dreams all right but she also believed in doing something about them. When the Prince Charming didn’t happen to come along, she went right over to the palace and got him.” Prince Charming is more the perk of the freedom she truly desired. She took every chance of a break she could with her animal friends, then finally took a chance on a party where she could get out and have fun and interact with people, one of whom happened to be a guy that offered her a dance.

[@boxbo7926]

You all should watch Cinderella 3: a Twist in Time! It’s one of the good bad Straight-to-DVD sequels, but it’s fantastic.

[@PinkiemachineStudios]

Cinderella has always always always been my favourite Disney Princess, even though my favourite princess FILM is Tangled. Cinderella’s character was always so inspiring to me. I grew up in a situation where sometimes I felt very alone or picked on by my own family and it really hurt me, but seeing how strong Cinderella was, how determined she was to not let her circumstances define who she was, really inspired me to be brave and kind and optimistic in the face of some pretty dark times that ended up coming my way, and I think we need more women like her in the world.

[@ireneanderson7699]

Lady Tremaine terrified me as a child. I have known people like her who have been in charge of me as a child. I wasn't a servant, but it was a terrible situation I had to endure over and over again. It felt like it would go on forever. I love your interpretation. Thank you for posting this.

[@Amber-yu2ph]

even got anxiety when watching hat she always do to cinderella...I even cried when she just did nothing and find pleasure when they destroy her dress

[@adrianghandtchi1562]

It’s the Cinderella fairytale was always my favorite story it was never about where she ended up it was about how she got there, she just wanted a break from a tough world that all she knew of but she got so much more, her kindness and her ability to make friends in dire circumstances is something always wonderful to see and the way she retreats in her imagination to give herself some hope to carry on living with abusers, people are so quick to blame the victims of abuse it even says so in the intro of the movie, That she was abused by her step family all her life. She is another version of a strong woman. I will always love Cinderella.

[@mac_a_boy]

As someone who has left an abusive household let me just say that was the HARDEST thing I’ve done and will probably do in my life. That decision still weighs on me two years after the fact and I still wonder if I’ve made the right choice I totally understand where Cinderella is coming from because leaving family is so hard because a part of you always wants to believe that there’s still some good left in them. I will never understand people who say Cinderella is weak and a bad role model she faced years of trauma and abuse but still chose to be kind. I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks that opinion is not true!