Fletcher On Why She Embraces The Word “Princess”

Hillary Clinton recently empowered young girls around the world to “never doubt that you are valuable and powerful, and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams.” With this song, I want to supplement this sense of healing, and to shift our narrative as women from “helpless” to “hopeful.” I wrote “Princess” as a result of watching the women around me, those I loved and admired most, struggle with spirituality and sexuality. These strong women were self-conscious about their bodies and questioning their self-worth. This song was inspired by a friend who came out to her parents, was kicked out of her house, and ended up spending nights on my couch. It was inspired by another who almost lost her battle with bulimia. And it was inspired by still another friend, whose gender identity so outraged her family that they maliciously abandoned their child under the banner of “religious beliefs.” At the time I wrote this, it seemed as if we were all drowning. I realized it was not enough to stay afloat to survive; we had to learn to swim too. That’s what makes us as women come out stronger. What if Cinderella had to save herself?

Selena Gomez recently spoke out at the American Music Awards and said, “If you are broken, you don’t have to stay broken.” As someone who has always been uncomfortable with vulnerability, I applaud her for her bravery in speaking out, and her willingness to find strength within herself and to share that strength with others. I hope to do the same. This song is my own anthem, because it holds a message I’ve always needed to hear. And more importantly, I believe it’s a message for anyone wounded; a battle cry to remind them that they’re warriors, and that a battle lost does not mean the war can’t be won. I have a tattoo on my side bearing the words “embrace it,” which is what I intend to always live by. All the hard times, and all the shit we go through are moments we need, because this is what makes us who we are. They are what set us apart from one another. To be human and to be alive means to not just feel joy and contentment, but to feel everything. While we may never stop being broken down and bruised, we will continue to fight for our own version of a fairytale. #THISISOURBATTLEGROUND I am proud to support these organizations that protect and empower the strong individuals showcased in this video: I Am That Girl, The Happy Hippie Foundation, Love Is Respect, The National Eating Disorder Association, and The Trevor Project: