There is a documentry out there somewhere that traces the way Disney has depicted black people over the years. It's a real eye-opener. Of course their treatment of women is no different. Most of the early female heroines are treated poorly by other females { wicked witch ect } and have to count on a man { the prince } to solve all of their problems. It was typical of society at that time to show women as being in need of a man in order to be complete - and live happily ever after.