The Sexualization of Disney Princesses

      Introducing Kidagakash Nedakh (a.k.a. "Kida"), princess of the grand underwater island of Atlantis!!! Is she a Disney Princess?? you may wonder.  Well, technically, no.  She hasn't quite been inducted.  However, is she still important to our discussion of the representation of female protagonists in Disney films?  Certainly!!
      Kida has some pretty great qualities that, unfortunately, do not get much recognition from mainstream Disney fans.  For one, Kida has a full name, something that oddly enough, the other Disney princesses don't have.
ARIEL...
BELLE...
RAPUNZEL...
POCAHONTAS...
(you get the picture)
Hhhmmm.  Yes, it is a fact that women come from families (from which they inherit last names) before their prince charmings are ever in the picture.
Anyway, Kida is pretty self-sufficient too.  She can kick some serious butt!!

And climb things.

And yet...
Why does she look soo sexual???
If we look back at the first picture, we see fan art done for Kida.  The artist chooses to accentuate the smallness of her midsection and the largeness of her thighs, butt, and hips.  The fan would not have gotten this idea if it wasn't for how Kida was subliminally seen in the movie in the first place.  Her very costume is designed to emphasize her hourglass figure.  It is especially worrisome when we consider the fact that she is physically active throughout the movie, climbing trees, jumping, and at one point even fighting on top of a male character, legs spread and all.
What message was Disney trying to send in their portrayal of Kida?  Yes, it's great that she is resourceful, independent, a leader, and willing to fight her own battles.  But this also causes women who are emotionally and mentally strong to be physically sexualized.  There seems to be some positive correlation in Disney films between independent women and how sexual they appear.
Example 1: Pocahontas.  She is "one with the earth," and similar to Kida, climbs, jumps, and runs a lot.  She follows the "beat to her own drum" so-to-speak.  However, her body figure emphasizes an hourglass shape and athletic build.
Example 2: Esmerelda.  She is the object of many men's desires, including Frollo, the very one who tries to stomp out the gypsy population. Her neckline is lower than the other princesses and her dancing is erotic at times.
Example 3: Ariel.  Although we know her tale ends in marriage and she sacrifices her own beautiful voice to be with a man, she still exhibits some elements of independence and stubborness that could qualify her as a mermaid whose desires often go against those of her people.  Her costume consists of a small seashell bra and a mermaid fin.
Example 3: Jasmine.  Again, she may not be the greatest example of defying Disney's "happily-ever-after" endings, but she is still defiant, wanting more for herself than her culture wants for her.  Jasmine's costume shows off her midsection as well as her shoulders.
These sexualizations could also be attributed to some racial stereotypes as well, but we see that a correlation exists.
Maybe this is why, despite what people say about Merida's "young" or "tomboyish" features, she may be a good representation of feminism.  She is not sexualized in any way, shape, or form.  Whether or not that is a step in the right direction is up to interpretation.