Disney finally has its first young plus-size heroine, and fans across the Internet are in high spirits.
"Reflect" is a short film now on Disney about a young ballet dancer named Bianca who struggles with her body image. In the short（短片）, Bianca doesn't want to but has to look at herself in the mirror, checking her posture. Always feeling depressed to find herself fatty and ugly, she almost gives up dancing ballet. Though body positivity and self-acceptance can be easier said than done, eventually, she overcome her negative feelings and dance freely.
Though the film was first released on the platform in September, many social media users are now celebrating "Reflect" as a win for representation among the young.
"16 year old me needed this Disney short before I quit ballet because I didn't want to be the fat girl in class anymore," one user on Twitter said. "I'm glad little ones （小朋友） will have this. 10/10（10 分满分评级） for Reflect!" "I don't think you all comprehend, this is my Ariel," a TikTok user said in a video, titled "Disney, you really got me in my feelings."
Making the film from the perspective of a dancer, director Hillary Bradfield explained, felt natural. "When people watch the short, I hope that they can feel more positively about themselves and how they look, and feel okay about the tough parts of their journey," Bradfield said.
