Jewel Moore Plus Size Princess -Disney

Teen girl launches petition for Disney to create a plus-size princess - but is that an unhealthy ideal too?

• High schooler Jewel Moore says Disney has the power to influence girls' confidence, and a plus-size princess would be a positive role model
• But some have argued that the focus needs to be on having 'normal' princesses with realistic and healthy dimensions instead

By Margot Peppers

PUBLISHED: 16:03 GMT, 31 January 2014 | UPDATED: 17:11 GMT, 31 January 2014

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A teenage girl has launched a petition for Disney to make a plus-size princess in the wake of controversy over whether the company promotes an unrealistic feminine ideal.

Jewel Moore, a high school junior from Farmville, Virginia, wrote on her Change.org page that since Disney has such a huge influence on young girls, it should create a princess with a curvy body to 'show support to a group of girls who are otherwise horrendously bullied by the media.'

But while many have praised her for trying to put a stop to body shaming, others have questioned whether a 'plus-size' princess - rather than simply a normal-size one - is a step in the wrong direction.

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Fighting for a cause: Jewel Moore, a high school junior from Farmville, Virginia, who describes herself as 'plus-size', has launched a Change.org petition for Disney to create a plus-size princess

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Body image: Citing the unrealistically skinny proportions of princesses like Ariel (left) and Jasmine (right), she says Disney should 'show support to a group of girls who are otherwise horrendously bullied by the media'

Jewel's petition, which has amassed 861 signatures so far, bears the title: 'Every body is beautiful'.

She writes that she created the page 'because I'm a plus-size young woman, and I know many plus-size girls and women who struggle with confidence and need a positive plus-size character in the media.'

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Citing research that 'a child's confidence correlates greatly with how much representation they have in the media,' she says a plus-size Disney princess would be a positive step towards body acceptance.

Many commenters have agreed with Jewel, leaving comments on the Change.org page to express their opinion.

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Equality: Jewel's petition, which has amassed 861 signatures so far, bears the title: 'Every body is beautiful'

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Every body is beautiful: She wrote on the page: 'I'm a plus-size young woman, and I know many plus-size girls and women who struggle with confidence and need a positive plus-size character in the media'

'If young girls see that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, they can change how society views it,' wrote one supporter

Another said: 'Having dealt with being overweight my entire life, I think that it would be great for Disney to make a more realistic princess for young girls to look up to.'

But some have taken issue with Jewel's emphasis on 'plus-size', asserting that the focus needs to be on having 'normal' princesses with realistic and healthy dimensions instead.

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Misguided? While many have supported her petition, some have taken issue with her emphasis on 'plus-size', saying the focus needs to be on having 'normal' princesses with realistic and healthy dimensions instead

One parent wrote on CafeMom.com: 'Why do princesses have to be either weirdly skinny or plus size? Are there any petitions for normal sized princesses?'

'If girls are THAT impressionable I wouldn't want them looking up to overweight princesses'

The sentiment was shared by another mother, who said: 'Understandable. But at the same time do we want our daughters idolizing a plus sized princess either?

'If girls are THAT impressionable then I really wouldn't want them looking up to overweight princesses or idols. Why not just average sized? Not fat, not skinny.'

 Negative Feedback :

Name Removed

“I hate the term "plus-size" its merely a way to sugarcoat reality to fat, over weight people. Being over weight has just as much, if not more negative health issues short and long term compared to being slightly underweight.

Childrens self image is not at risk from disney. If anything it will just encourage them that princesses are not obese.

This is simply another attempt by fat people to try and validate and justify their unhealthy lifestyle so they don't feel guilty when they're too lazy to do something about it. They sit by the TV eating garbage rather than a healthy nutritious meal and exercising every once in a while.

Any fat person, given the chance, would take a thin physique over their fat one... They just don't want to work for it. When society accepts this mentality as ok, it drastically adds to the global health and financial epidemic of obesity.”