I'm positively sure there are enough "girly girls" among the eleven Disney Princesses (read: ten Princesses) that one tomboy should not be a big deal.
The only Princess that comes close to Merida in this regard is probably the one I grew up with: Mulan. But Mulan is portrayed as being so beautiful that it almost doesn't matter that she's clumsy and headstrong because her beauty alone would carry her a far way. To a very plain (then) girl this was still a pretty awful message and instead I resorted to reading books that didn't tell me that I had to fit a specific mold I wanted no part of. Now I get to watch Merida and watch my friends' kids watch Merida and I'm glad they have a mainstream choice that tells them it's okay not to be one of the other ten Princesses.
There is nothing wrong with giving kids a choice. If anything, changing Merida to fit the usual Princess mold is pushing girls to believe that "girly girl" is the norm and tomboys are unacceptable.
The only Princess that comes close to Merida in this regard is probably the one I grew up with: Mulan. But Mulan is portrayed as being so beautiful that it almost doesn't matter that she's clumsy and headstrong because her beauty alone would carry her a far way. To a very plain (then) girl this was still a pretty awful message and instead I resorted to reading books that didn't tell me that I had to fit a specific mold I wanted no part of. Now I get to watch Merida and watch my friends' kids watch Merida and I'm glad they have a mainstream choice that tells them it's okay not to be one of the other ten Princesses.
There is nothing wrong with giving kids a choice. If anything, changing Merida to fit the usual Princess mold is pushing girls to believe that "girly girl" is the norm and tomboys are unacceptable.