Perhaps they just don't have the stomach to go toe-to-toe with Disney's Princesses. Someone (parents? grandparents?) continues to feed the overwhelming marketing machine of tiaras, frilly gowns, and make-up.

I'll add my own pet peeve. If they were to create a main character as a female, they'd undoubtedly add a (male, duh) love interest. Where male-centered stories do not necessarily require romance.

My memory's fuzzy. Wasn't Pippi Longstocking energetic and curious? And today's little girls would probably say she needs a hot oil treatment.

Elke - To be honest, I just don't think they have ever thought about it.

To be fair, except for Monsters, Inc. and Finding Nemo there are love interests for all the other male main characters. However, you're right, their first attempt to address my letter (Hear me now, Pixar!) would be that they would have a romantic story line. Or, she wouldn't be able to do anything on her own. So, even if there's no romance, she'd have a male with her who helps her out who is _almost_ like a main character but they just don't bill him that way.

I doubt you'd ever see them portraying a girl character going off into the unknown by herself (ala Bug's Life and Finding Nemo).

Yes, Pippi was very curious and energetic and went and did her own thing and got into adventures. Not only a hot oil treatment but laser therapy to remove the freckles.

Elke,

As to who feeds the Disney Princess macheine, look at this link. It is an impressive piece of marketing.

http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/how-disney-princess-works1.htm

I have read that there is pushback against the princess trend amoung some parents for feminist reasons. Personally, I'm not sure that the marketing macheine is any more destructive to girls than the marketing macheines that are targeted at boys.

mess