Fans of the Disney movie "Brave" are up in arms after discovering that their beloved heroine, Merida, has been given a makeover.
In the movie, Merida had messy hair and wore a loose-fitting dress. She was a "strong, confident, self-rescuing princess," according to a "Keep Merida Brave" petition.
But Disney released an image of the princess to be used for dolls and merchandise that many fans objected to. The new Merida flaunted a tight-fitting dress and had wavy curls.
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"By making her skinnier, sexier and more mature in appearance, you are sending a message ... that for girls and women to have value ... they must conform to a narrow definition of beauty," the petition stated. Some 250,000 people have signed on.
Disney said it created a more glamorous version of Merida to "commemorate her coronation" into the Disney Princess Collection, and the company currently sells merchandise featuring both versions of the princess.
