Inspired by the recent Women's March around the nation and the globe, artist
Amanda Allen Niday, created a 'Protesting Princesses's series, reimagining Disney heroines in the Women's March series. It quickly went viral and caught the eye of
Teen Vogue.
Teen Vogue, once considered a fluffy distraction for teens into fashion, is a magazine that's quickly gained respect for recognizing that young people can - and should be - as politically aware as their parents, and that having a penchant for gorgeous shoes and lipstick isn't at odds with that.
Teen Vogue, with their finger firmly on the social pulse these days, didn't waste any time getting an interview with Ms. Niday.
Here's an excerpt:
Would Disney Princesses want to be a part of
the revolution? Illustrator Amanda Allen Niday thinks so, and thanks to
her, we have an idea of what they’d say.
“I
felt inspired by the way women expressed themselves on their signs,
from the witty and charming to the downright scathing. Women coming
together from all backgrounds to say "we are HERE and we MATTER’.” she
said. “I wanted to hold onto that message as my newsfeeds dissolved back
into squabbling and finding faults in our difference, rather than
understanding.”
...Niday designed a sketch of each
major Disney princess holding a protest sign that incorporated a quote
the princess actually said in their movie.
“I
didn't want to put words into their mouths. I believed their narratives
of overcoming struggles was powerful enough without me trying to force
something else on them,” she said.
... She
told Teen Vogue she used Disney Princesses for the project because she
feels Disney has been making an effort to use the cartoons to remind
girls that they’re brave, strong and valuable and wants to pay homage to
that. To her, the princesses’ stories of resilience symbolize what
girls or women can or should do.
But she also recognizes that women can protest in their own way.
“Being
strong when you are being told you are weak is a form of protest. Being
yourself when you are being told that isn't acceptable is a form of
protest. Never giving up hope is a form of protest. I wanted to show
that we can control the narrative,” Niday said.
You can read the whole interview
HERE.
Want a copy of those posters for yourself? You can get that
HERE at Society 6. They also have the options of t-shirts, totes, bedding... and much more.
