'Asian American Disney Princesses': What If Belle Wore A Hijab?

THE HUFFINGTON POST
By Mallika Rao
Portrayal of Belle from Disney's "Beauty & the Beast"
CALIFORNIA---Should little girls be encouraged to idolize princesses? Probably not. But for her series Asian American Disney Princesses, Kim Navoa considered an alternate reality where our best-known princesses look different. Navoa, a Filipino American, staged a shoot that reimagines the heroines of her childhood. Along with a fellow photography student at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Navoa recast the animation giant's classic ingenues, from Belle to Tinkerbell. The models are friends and friends-of-friends of Navoa's, who chose the characters they wanted to portray. All identify as Asian-American. [link]

Comments

I think this is an extraordinarily accessible approach to the discussion of Race, and diversity in America. Kudos to Kim Navoa for this creative idea. It certainly gives one pause for thinking about stereotypes on race, religion, and gender. Just how would America react to a Belle wearing a hijab? How do A&O readers react? The more I think on this, the more excited I get about the possibilities.