Growing up in Japan, Carmen Sognonvi (@topflightmagic) didn't visit the Disney parks until she was a teen, nor was she ever drawn to the Disney princesses she saw in films and on TV. "I was much more drawn to Japanese cartoons like Creamy Mami, where there was less of an emphasis on romantic relationships and more of a focus on the adventures that the main female character experienced."
Carmen's appreciation for Disney really developed when she became a parent. "I've been seriously impressed by how different the female characters are in today's Disney movies compared to the movies from my childhood. Not only is it wonderful to see so much more ethnic diversity portrayed in the characters (my daughters love that Moana has brown skin and big curly hair, just like them), but I love that today's female Disney characters show leadership, strength, compassion, and determination."
Carmen pointed out that Jasmine from the live-action Aladdin film is a great example of that: "Not only does she question why she can't be the Sultan just because she's female, she wins the Sultan role not by having it handed to her by her father, but by actually being the leader who averts a crisis. My daughters love the new Jasmine for this, and also 'because she's the only princess who wears pants.'" By the way, you can meet the Sultan herself at both Magic Kingdom and Epcot.