Without a doubt, my favorite Disney princess is Mulan, but then again, I am a bit biased. If my reasoning were questioned I would have no choice but to respond truthfully; I like Mulan because she’s Asian. Before assumptions are made, allow me to explain.

I am an adopted Korean-American, and ever since I was old enough to be aware of my background, I have both embraced and celebrated it. That being said I was different from most of the people around me, making it all that more significant, and yes, exciting, when I came across somebody who was, at least on the surface, more like me. From a very early age I developed a somewhat bizarre habit of, usually quite obviously, noticing and pointing out other Asians whenever I saw them, whether that be in a movie, on television, or in public places (sorry, Mom). To me it mattered not the place or the hour. If an Asian was present, I would find them. Put bluntly, I was, and probably still am, fascinated. Keeping my particular interests in mind, one can imagine that even as a very young child, I noticed that although I saw lots of Asians in public, I couldn’t quite find them in the slew of media content I digested in my everyday life.

I remember watching Mulan and marvelling at how she was not only a hero, but also a girl, who like me, had slanted eyes and dark hair; she was girl that in my mind, could have very easily been me. For the first time, I saw one of those people I had been so intent on tracking down at the mall, in a movie. Disney films often receive criticism, and looking back I realize that no movie, nor franchise, is perfect, but that one simple film showed me that I could be an Asian-princess warrior, or anything else I could dream of. If Mulan could be a Chinese girl and save her country, I figured I could be Korean and take on the whole world.

As I have grown older, I have become increasingly aware of the lack of Asian representation in the media, or what comedian Kevin Kataoka refers to as the “Asian Evasion”. I can’t remember the last time I saw a movie featuring an Asian lead, and I doubt most people could name an Asian actor or actress that isn’t known for starring in martial arts films. Similarly, I can’t remember the last time I saw an Asian model gracing the pages of a fashion magazine, or strutting a catwalk. As a young women, society’s idea of what makes me valuable or beautiful is already extremely restrictive, and as an Asian-American, those guidelines narrow even further. Not only am I not allowed to be too short, too tall, too thin, too fat, or too “ugly”, but apparently it is ill-advised to be too Asian as well. Talk about unrealistic expectations.

Whether or not they know it, as content creators continually fail to represent minorities, they send their respective audience a very clear message: your story is not worth being told.

I am confident that I am far from the only one who is tired of waiting, and am ready for a change. I believe in the beauty of diversity and my right to be represented; for my story to be told. I believe that it’s time to wake up and portray the world as it truly is, and I am certain that the global audience is ready. However, as content creators continue to drag their feet, I will be busy saving the world and watching Mulan. All are welcome to join.