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Differences in the perception are attributed to local and national cultures that allow a different lens to view the same content.

The selected countries provide an opportunity to explore differences in perception of Disney princesses between girls raised in country with and without a royal family, and between girls in non-western and western countries. The primary research question, considering Disney’s global reach, is how race, culture, presence of a royal family interact with transnational access to the same media content, in the perception of princess concept and about being a girl. This study examines how princess in animated Disney movies are perceived and understood by girls (8-15 years) in three different countries, over two time-periods with a gap of nearly a decade (2009 & 2018). In an attempt to provide diversity Disney in the last 25 years has featured non-western princesses - such as Aladdin (1992), Pocahontas (1995), Mulan (1998), and Moana (2016). Keywords: Mermaid, Siren, Adult-Animation, Feminism, Diversity, Modernĭisney animated princesses are broadcasted around the world through Disney Channel and its global affiliates, as well as through numerous other networks that purchase distribution rights. This study aims to serve as a Hollywood handbook for designing mermaids that meet modern audiences. This research raises two key issues: 1) it flags the significant gender imbalances in animation, calling out the risk of male creators perpetuating patriarchal portrayals of women 2) it identifies a desperate need for Hollywood to increase diversity, across race, weight, and shapes, in any future mermaid representations. Actioned through a design breakdown of a mermaid character from adult-animated television series pilot, Head Above Water, an alternative, reviewed and revamped anti-patriarchy siren is proposed aiming to shift mermaid iconography from a symbol of femininity, to the symbol for fem-inism. In doing so, this study analyses the mythology, design elements and Hollywood’s history of mermaid representation across TV & film, concluding in a case study seeking to redesign the modern mermaid reflective of these values.

It argues for the necessary update to mermaid iconography one that shift visual representations away from regurgitated imagery of thin, white, feminine, mer-women servicing the Western Freudian male gaze, to imagery that is reflective of modern day attitudes and ideals consistent with fourth-wave femi-nism.

This paper pays attention to the mythology of mermaids, the adult-animation in-dustry, design pedagogy, and a praxis which actively incorporates gender, sexuality, diversity and intersectional dynamics.