Sexism Exposed In Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty And Snow White

Parents, as of recent years, have become more cautious with the type of media they let their children consume. Today's society is more aware of topics such as gender, sexuality, and racial issues than they used to be. Therefore, parents are now held more accountable in teaching and educating their children on such topics. Fairy Tales in older generations were commonly used to entertain and teach young children but now it is recognized that many of these themes are stained with sexism and an underlying patriarchal agenda. While fairy tales such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White are relevant in many children’s lives, the long term psychological effects can be damaging to the youth.

The Cinderella complex is the idea that no matter

These would include tales like Snow white, Sleeping beauty, Rapunzel etc. Tale types are groups of stories that share certain motifs. Damsels in distress are described as helpless female protagonists who in order to escape their fate must be saved by strong and powerful male protagonists. Mary Daly, a feminist philosopher and author, acknowledged the patriarchal agenda of fairy tales in her book "Gyn/ecology: The Metaethics of Radical Feminism". Daly discussed briefly about the problems with the fairy tale Snow White, "The child who is fed tales such as Snow White is not told that the tale itself is a poisonous apple, and the Wicked Queen (her mother/teacher), having herself been drugged by the same deadly diet throughout her lifetime (death-time), is unaware of her venomous part in the patriarchal plot" (Daly 44). While Snow White and her mother are both perceived as either wicked or weak, the prince and the huntsman are seen as brave and powerful. While stereotypes in fairytale may not be immediately understood by children, the long-term conditioning of gender roles can show children their place in society for a lifetime. It is important to recognize that although the stories being told are only fiction that stories of fragile and impotent women could tamper with a young developing

Frozen is another example of a modern day take on fairy tales. The storyline was originally inspired by Han Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen. In the original adaptation Gerda (or Elsa in Frozen) is a poor commoner who is in search to find her close friend Kai. It is later discovered that Kai was infected with a demon like disease that left him cold and heartless (Winkle). The modern version of The Snow Queen, Frozen, focuses on the relationship between sisters Elsa and Anna as they face being orphaned, evil princes and adulthood. One could say this adaptation teaches children about the meaning of friendships as well as the power that strong family bonds have. This form of fiction creates a healthier and more positive mindset for those who consume it. Not only do these films empower young boys and girls they teach them values that traditional fairy tales do