15 most empowering female Disney characters of all time
By Andi Ortiz
9. Jasmine
Of all the Disney princesses, Jasmine might not immediately spring to mind when you think: empowering. But she absolutely should.
On the surface, it might seem like Jasmine was simply tired of being cooped up in a palace her entire life. Her primary motivation for jumping over the wall in the animated film is just to explore what else Agrabah has to offer.
But she also doesn’t want to be forced into marriage. She wants to marry for love, not because of the law. So, with every “swaggering peacock” that comes through trying to win her, she finds a new way to get rid of them. She says it herself; she is not a prize to be won.
Then of course, there’s the 2019 version of Jasmine. The live-action adaptation of Aladdin gave the princess a much-needed update. In this version, she doesn’t just want to see Agrabah because it’s different; she wants to be among her people.
On top of that, she truly wants to be sultan. Jasmine knows that she can lead her people well, and does everything she can to make her father see it. She’s even given an entire song about how she refuses to just be seen and not heard.
Whichever iteration you like more, Jasmine is one strong woman.