Poor Cinderella, mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters. She lives in a little attic with only the animals as her friends. She's so good and sweet it's sickening. Cinderella spends her life waiting on her abusers, refusing to stand up for them, happiness only coming from her dreams. Then, the prince sends out invitations to his amazing ball. Cinderella is, of course, not allowed to go. She sobs as she realizes that her stepmother would never, ever let her go. But Cinderella can't stay home! So the fairy godmother shows up and makes her beautiful, with one condition; she must leave before midnight or all her pretty things will go back to being ugly. Cinderella goes to the ball and the prince falls in love with her and she with him. Now, how do two people, who didn't know the other existed until that night, fall in love with each other? It's just not realistic. But then, maybe Cinderella was Juliet's cousin. However, the clock begins to strike midnight and Cinderella must go! She races down the steps, losing a shoe in the process (how the woman managed to run with only one glass pump on is beyond me. I don't think I could run with two) and leaving lover boy behind. Now, because lover boy's a prince, he makes an all out search for Cinderella, bringing the shoe with him because she had feet the size of a ten-year old's feet. Cinderella and the prince are reunited and live happily ever after. The evil stepmother and stepsisters get what they deserve, and Cinderella escapes a bad situation.
In real life, girls aren't going to escape abusive situations and relationships by Prince Charming riding in on his white horse. The beloved story doesn't tell young girls how to stand up for their rights as a human being. Too many girls are in bad situations today to risk the Cinderella message. Part of gender equality is realizing that the girl, not a prince on a white horse or the boyfriend who just hit her, is in control of what happens to her. Only she can save herself. No man can do that for you, and no man has the right to treat a woman like trash. Most men have greater physical strength than women, that much is true, but no man is allowed to control women by force or intimidation. If you or someone you know is in a situation like this, get help and get out. Prince Charming will not come for you. He was detained because his white horse broke his leg. It's up to women to realize that if they ever want to change the status quo, they must speak out and let their abusers know that they will not be treated as if they were worthless, because they aren't worthless. No one is.
Snow White is the reason they show those movies in elementary school about talking to strangers. Her entire stereotype is pretty, feminine, and dumb. Not to mention annoying. Snow White doesn't really have any sort of ulterior message, but girls, if an old crone tries to give you an apple, first politely decline. If she pushes the matter, hit her with the rolling pin you were using to make that gooseberry tart. That oughta do it.
Belle in Beauty and the Beast isn't looking for a man to save her. She doesn't need a man to make her whole. In fact, she turns down the most eligible bachelor in town, because she doesn't like him. Belle's strong, smart, and caring. She's beautiful, but in no way does the movie center around her beauty or circumstances. Belle is the heroine we all want to be. Her true love loves her for her, not for her beauty after seeing her for the first time (Cinderella and Snow White alert). Many woman wants to be self-sufficient and independent just like Belle is, in 18th century France. If I could pick any one of the Disney princesses to be a spokesperson for women's equality, it would be Belle because I believe that she embodies the cause in her presence of mind and her refusal to sell herself short by marrying Gaston.
No comments:
Post a Comment