A photo that’s gone viral online shows that girls can be athletes and princesses — and the public loves it.
Professional photographer Betsy Gregory of Edmond, Okla., took a picture of her 4-year-old daughter Avery’s T-ball team with all the girls in dresses like the one worn by Elsa in the hit Disney movie Frozen, with their sporting equipment as accessories. The photo, described as “adorably tough,” has been an Internet sensation, The Oklahoman reports: “Hundreds of comments. Thousands of shares. Who knows how many views.”
When the team formed, Gregory and the other girls’ parents decided to name it the Freeze, due to the girls’ obsession with the animated film and its sister princesses, Elsa and Anna (who happen to be strong feminist characters). The players’ uniforms were turquoise shirts and white pants, reflecting the color scheme favored by Elsa.
The Freeze finished last in its league, but the girls’ parents never pressured them or talked about who won or lost, Gregory said; they just wanted the kids to try the sport and see if they liked it, and generally have fun. When it came time to take an end-of-season team photo, Gregory wanted it to reflect that spirit of fun. It turned out all the girls had Elsa dresses, so the costuming was a no-brainer.
Gregory photographed the team last week, and after she shared the photo with the other parents on Facebook and then a photography website, the interest exploded. Sports Illustrated for Kids, BuzzFeed, and other sites have featured it, and the parents would love to get the attention of Ellen DeGeneres. But while the publicity is nice, the message is more important, Gregory told The Oklahoman.
“You’re a little girl, and you can do anything,” she said. “Don’t let people get in your way. Go for it. Wear an Elsa dress and play softball.”
Watch a video about the team below.
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