In Chelsea Mize's article, the 12 princesses were ranked from the most feminist to the lest feminist: Mulan, Tiana, Merida, Pocahontas, Rapunzel, Elsa, Belle, Jasmine, Ariel, Cinderella, Snow White and Aurora. Well…I'm familiar with only a few of them, but still I don't completely agree with her on the ranking.
Were I to rank the princesses, I would definitely place Elsa at the top for the uniqueness of her story. Other stories would usually depict the relationship between the princess and a man, most of which would end with a “happily ever after” relationship. However, the main plots in Frozen see Elsa grow from a timid girl into a confident queen. At first, she is also instructed by patriarchal values to conceal her magical secrets in order “not to hurt anyone”. She feared and suppressed her magic until the coronation, when her power accidentally runs wild. This was a fortunate turn of her destiny. From the lyrics in Let It Go, we can see that she waved goodbye to her old self and finally embraced her power. The true love between she and Anna freed her from the confinement and finally inspired her to control her magic. In a nutshell, Elsa is one of the many girls who courageously break the patriarchal norms and really live their lives. She dominates her own story — and everything is at her command.
I would like to agree with the rest of Chelsea Mize's ranking. In my mind, feminist progress is like the empowerment of women. Facing adversities, Disney's princesses don't have to wait for their handsome “saviors” anymore. Recent princess movies have portraited the princesses as independent individuals. They have the right to refuse unwanted things, to define their life and demonstrate their wonders. Princesses are the idols of countless young girls, and their actions convey important values. These movies reflect a feminist trend through which we can expect a change for the better.
An outstanding princess story doesn't really need a prince (and his love); princesses also rule.