I read this article about fairy tales this week. I've heard the stereotypical banter about how unfeminist most fairy tales are before, but I'd like to know what you think. Are Disney movies harmful? Is giving a lil girl a copy of Grimm Fairy Tales going to plunge her into a self-doubting abyss? Is Shrek really the feminist tale we'd like it to be? Also, fess up, what's your favorite fairy tale?

Not only is this my return to responding to a whb collab topic, but it's also my return at writing the collab topic. woot!

So, fairy tales...while I don't think that fairy tales are the anti-feminist devil some might like to think they are, they also aren't the most healthy piece of literature to put in front of a young girl. I like the suggestion of parents reading the fairy tales with their young children and ask them to comment about them. I also read anther good suggestion somewhere - switch genders! The mommy read the prince part, the lil boy read the princess part. Get them use to the idea that it's just a story, make-believe, fiction. Why not do a MST-3000 with the tales too?

"The princess waited for the prince to return..."

[son] "So she didn't have a phone to call him with?" [mother] "Hello, prince, I'm in mortal danger! Help!" [laughter]

As for Shrek...Cinnamon pointed out when the original movie came out that the Princess toy was in human form and not ogre form. Perhaps they did that so not to ruin the ending...I'll give them that benefit of the doubt. Even thou Fiona waited for Shrek to save her in the castle and at her wedding, she still had a sense of strength to her. Not as much as I'd like to see, but it was only 3 days. I'm holding out my verdict until we see how Fiona handles her family's displeasure for her love.

My favorite fairy tale? The Little Mermaid - hands down. I rewatched it a few weeks ago (Disney version) with Ella. She's not the poster-girl for feminism, but she knew what she wanted and she went after it. Even some of us ardent feminists will throw our logic aside for our men. *evilgrin*