The Girl’s Guide to Swagger has been working with media studies professor Rebecca Hains to convince Disney and Dreamworks to send a princess to college in an upcoming animated movie.  Maybe you have signed our petition at http://www.change.org/petitions/disney-and-dreamworks-send-a-princess-to-college or read the great article in the Christian Science Monitor on May 1 called: A twist on the fairytale: a college-bound princess? http://t.co/KIjIdGWb

On Twitter – there was lots of discussion about sending a princess to college.  One friend said: Here’s an idea, you write and produce a story that fits your narrative instead of petitioning Disney to do it for you.

I love this idea!  It is women doing it for themselves, rather than waiting for others to do it for us.  Of course, writing and producing for the screen is a career in and of itself that requires training and  a network of connections. Perhaps there is an independent film-maker or even a college student out there who would like to take on this project?  Please let us know if you have ideas.

Already, we’ve started to talk about possible storylines for the princess goes to college movie.  There was a poem by Tennyson about a Princess Ida who started a college for women. The poem was later turned into a farcical musical by Gilbert and Sullivan.  The musical made fun of the idea at some level – but the idea of women going to college was out of the box!

Did you know that there are some real life princesses who have gone to college? Read more…

In many fairy tales and animated movies for kids, the princess is shown as lovely, demure, and passive, while the prince is depicted as adventurous, courageous, and active.  Do these characters perpetuate myths that no longer serve us and limit choices for both genders?

Isn’t it time for a new hero – a princess who has active feminine energy – also known as swagger – a princess who is making her own choices about the future?  The Girl’s Guide to Swagger, along with author and media studies professor Rebecca Hains, have started a campaign to convince Disney and Dreamworks to change these gender stereotypes send a princess to college in an upcoming movie.

Want to join us? Sign our petition at http://www.change.org/petitions/disney-and-dreamworks-send-a-princess-to-college and join men and women from all over the world.