In this article, Sarah Turner discusses the racial aspect in The Princess and the Frog and the concept of color-blindness. She brought up a good point about Tiana being a princess who happens to be black, but isn't representative of an actual African American. I think one of the major reasons behind Disney's decision to hold back on a true representation of an African American princess is because of the risk of stereotyping. This would result in harsh criticism against the film and it would be deemed 'racist'.
Turner also claims that The Princess and the Frog differs from other Disney princess films because it does not contain references to Tiana's physical attributes. Typically, Disney princesses are beautiful, caucasian, slim and donning beautiful gowns. Tiana strays from this mold by being a working princess. However, I think this makes Tiana a good role model for girls and one of the few princesses that does not rely on her looks and a man to help her achieve a happily ever after.
Disney avoids the potential for backlash by portraying Tiana as a frog for the majority of the film. Honestly, I think whatever Disney does, they will be subject to criticism. Especially since The Princess and the Frog features the first black princess, it was the victim of scrutiny and it would have been impossible to create a movie that satisfies every viewer. Personally, I think Disney was wise in making Tiana a hard-working, motivated, and passionate individual. Comparing her to princesses like Cinderella and Snow White, whose roles in the movie were just performing house chores, Tiana is an inspiration. Imagine if Cinderella or Snow White had been black. Unfortunately, Disney just can't win...
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