I was watching the Little Mermaid the other day, and it made me wonder:  Where do we modern women get our high expectations of love, romance, and soulmates from?  It's probably not from our parents - with the high divorce rates and the many less than romantic aspects of daily life, I doubt that many girls grew up envying their mother's love life.  Older sisters or cousins?  I also highly doubt this possibility, considering the rarity of romance, especially the long lasting, soulmate type love girls expect.  Even when there is romance, the chances of a kid seeing it, are pretty small.  They don't exactly hang out in the most romantic locations.

This is why I blame it on Disney.  As a child, I spent the majority of my free time playing with Barbies, watching Disney movies, and playing with characters from these movies.  I don't think Barbie can be credited with any relationship exceptations, considering she was a seperate entity from Ken (who she dumped).  Barbie symbolized the independent woman, not relying on Ken for anything.  There was doctor Barbie, athlete Barbie, supermodel Barbie, mommy Barbie, all of which came with matching shoes, toys, and a brush.  Not, a matching Ken.

All of my favorite Disney movies - Aladdin, the Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast,  the Lion King, Hunchback of Notre Dame, and even older Disney Classics like Snow White, Rapunzel, and Cinderella, all revolve around a girl needing a strong man to sweep her off her feet.  They all signify the importance of being in a relationship with your soulmate.   Jasmine gives up her riches for Aladdin, Ariel sprouts legs and ditches her life under the sea, Belle ditches her father, all in order to be with the man of their dreams.  All of their riches conveniently reappear, but only after securing marriage with their beloved.  The men are all good looking, sweet, and completely monagamous.

Where do all of the Disney princes live?  I have a feeling they only reside within the comfort of my television.  How dissappointing!  If it weren't for Disney, girls could grow up without these unrealistic expectations.  Even Mulan, a story about a girl being a war hero, all comes down to securing the perfect man.  Life just does not hold up to these promises of everlasting love.  The rose, from Beauty and the Beast anyone?

Unfortunately, I love Disney movies, I love the romance, the princesses, the happy endings, and the songs.  I will continue to be let down, possibly forever!