Princesses nowadays get a lot of grief. The word itself gives off a connotation of stuck up, spoiled, and bratty. Princesses are daddy’s girls who never worked a day in their life and always had a boyfriend who worshiped the ground they walked on. At least, that’s how most people feel.

But it can also be said that princesses are pretty and graceful. They act with confidence and tact and have actually kicked a lot of serious butt, whether they be real life ladies in power or Disney heroes.

From a Disney perspective we’ve got Mulan who willingly conceals her identity, saving her father, and all of China, with a haircut and some serious willpower.

And then there’s Merida (Brave). She takes her love life into her own hands and instead of waiting for a man to hit the mark, (because really do they ever?) she hits the bulls-eye and wins her freedom. So yeah she unleashed some sort of mystical power, but she saved her own day like a modern independent woman.

Even historically speaking, Queens without their Kings have proven to be much more powerful. Cleopatra played the ancient political field by maintaining friendships with Mark Antony and Julius Caesar and Queen Elizabeth Tudor ruled England alone during a time period known today as the Golden Age.

Now I am not a feminist, really, and I’m not advocating for all of us ladies to stay single and rule the world. (Every princess eventually finds her prince.)

But I am a princess.

This does not mean I need a man in my life to save my day (kill the spiders, maybe, but I got it from there). This does not mean I throw fits until I get what I want and it doesn’t mean I look down on anyone without designer clothes and a fresh manicure (because sweatpants are a crucial part of every wardrobe). This does not mean I am a doormat with no opinions of my own.

It does mean that I like sparkles and pink and wearing makeup. It means I like to shop at both Forever 21 and Barnes and Noble. It means I treat people the way I want to be treated, with respect, and I won’t settle for less. But mostly being a princess means I can kick butt in whatever field I wish to pursue, and I can probably do it in heels.

Yes, there are princesses that could use a reality check but I prefer to compare myself to greats. Mulan, Merida, Queen Elizabeth, Cleopatra, my mom, and all the other powerful women that inspired me from a young age to hold my head high, chase my dreams, and get s**t done!