Aladdin, Disney’s first non-white character was introduced in 1992, almost 50 years after America first met a Disney princess. Disney continued to incorporate multiethnic princesses, as Pocahontas came in 1995, followed by Mulan in 2004 and Tiana in 2009.

Disney has slowly incorporated multicultural princesses and princes to foster diversity, but the company still hasn’t introduced an LGBTQ+ prince or princess.

Disney should answer calls from the LGBTQ+ community and give Elsa, from the blockbuster Frozen, a girlfriend in the upcoming sequel. This would encourage global acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community from a young age, helping kids accept themselves and others who identify as LGBTQ+.

Right now, the Disney franchise only promotes the idea that straight princes and princesses can have a fairytale ending.

Adding a gay princess to the Disney lineup could revolutionize how future generations view LGBTQ+ rights. A new character would give the LGBTQ+ community a global, relatable figure that could inspire them to accept themselves.

Disney has a massive platform due to their decades of successful childhood entertainment. From their four production studios, like Pixar and Marvel, to their TV channels, including Disney, Disney XD and ABC, and their amusement parks and cruises, Disney is everywhere.

Because of this extensive influence over children’s entertainment, the company has a responsibility to facilitate a stronger, more tolerant younger generation. Disney is uniquely positioned in that it actually has the power to change attitudes of kids later in life, according to UVA professor Carmenita Higginbotham, who specializes in Disney studies.

Disney continues to create new princess movies without enough consideration of the LGBTQ+ community. It’s unfair to exclude a community of viewers by ignoring a range of different lifestyles simply because of tradition.

Any fears that Disney will face backlash for being more inclusive are misguided: history proves that TV shows can become more popular from including a more diverse cast of characters. The TV show Modern Family, shows the American public how a family with two dads is just like any other family. Similarly, gay couples are depicted in other crowd favorite TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Glee.

Disney may already be understanding this trend. The new Pixar film, Finding Dory had subtle hints that there may be a lesbian couple in one scene. Although this was a small step, it may be a sign that Disney is becoming more inclusive, and is already calculating that no amount of retaliation will offset the benefits of helping young LGBTQ+ kids feel included.

Disney is becoming more diverse, but an LGBTQ+ prince or princess would be more symbolic because royalty is one of the more traditional branches of the Disney franchise.

As the country moves towards greater acceptance and tolerance, this isn’t an issue that’s going away any time soon. Disney needs to lead by example and use their vast influence to promote equality and human rights. After all, everyone has a right to live happily ever after.