Gender in Media News

Amazing book!

Hm... to me, this shows as much about how penned in men are by concepts of masculinity as it does sexism in fairy tales. Why shouldn't Cinderfella be a compelling narrative in our culture? Men face issues of vanity, jealousy and exploitation too.

I get the point, but actually my four year old daughter was watching over my shoulder and loved it. And if I had a son I would let him watch it. I love that he was allowed to cry freely.

These Disney films like Cinderella etc never did me any harm! Theres a mixture of all sorts of stories to watch/read. As long as there is variation, none are bad/wrong in my eyes. Everyone had their preferences but I think Id of been bored reading about famous women instead of watching magical worlds. At that age, most kids want fantasy & magic. Thats kinda the whole point if being a kid.... right? X

I don't have kids, but I absolutely would read that to a kid. Feminism isn't solely about making sure girls know they can grow up to be anything, it's about ensuring that boys know the same thing. And that there's room in the gender spectrum for everyone. I feel like this commercial is reinforcing toxic masculinity, with a nice touch of transmisogyny, and undercurrent of homophobia.

I'd like to see someone do a redo of many of the "fairy tale"s like "Beauty" and the Beast. I've NEVER seen a story where the Handsome guy falls for the less attractive female. How about evil stepfathers and wizards instead of the opposite, too?

I have been longing for someone - anyone - (I'd like it to be Paul Verhoeven, in all seriousness) to make a movie about Victoria Woodhull - the first woman to run for US President. Fantastic central protagonist. Also a great supporting role, too. "Without his approval, Frederick Douglass became the first African American nominated for Vice President of the United States as the running mate and Vice Presidential nominee of Victoria Woodhull, on the Equal Rights Party ticket."

This clip so disappointed me as a feminist. I actually thought this was a great alternative version that I would love to read my son. They did it so well that it didn't occur to me they were going to dismiss the story's value at the end. Alas, anyone who doesn't like Disney is someone I'm so grateful I wasn't raised by.

I love the cinderella story because I have a slightly deformed foot from my cerebral palsy. If someone were to make a shoe just for me it really would be just for me! I actually should have orthopedic shoes but never have because they are expensive. Plus I have pronation so I'm really a natural for heels, at least on my right side. I would only need to lose one perfect shoe! LOVE Cinderella. Best fairytale ever!

I so agree and had been coming to that conclusion myself. A counselor once nailed it when she said that I was born before my time. How I would like to come back when it is a better femiinine world.

I think Disney has come a long way though. They aren't making the damsel in distress stories as much as they used to and the whole "I have to fall in love with a man in a week thing" has been changing too. I'm glad times are changing and women are becoming so much more empowered. I will always stand up for women's rights.

I think maybe these women needed to visit the library more. While there are a ton of sexist stories throughout history and it's still a huge component of modern literature, I never had trouble finding books with strong female leads, and that included some fantastic fairy tales. Try reading some of the fairy-tales that Disney didn't choose to edit.

Thank you for sharing Geena! Your speech at Kidscreen about diversity in children's media played a crucial role in the creation of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls! You're an inspiration and an empowering presence for us all! ❤️

I stopped teaching h.s. English because all the approved books were SOOO outdated and there was next to no diversity of any kind, esp. gender. I could not continue to be part of the problem.

I got this for my 7 week old daughter the other day. I was delighted to be able to buy it in a bookshop in the U.K. after hearing about it in principle as a crowdfunding project. People power works! 💥

Thank you for this! I believe that of all the fairy tales, Cinderella represents the worst, most harmful discourse that is out there influencing young girls' perception of their potential as human beings and what happiness entails. Even if people do not realise, it does affect them at the most profound levels - to the extent that unknowlingly, their whole idea of what is possible for them is inherently limited -, so by all means, bring on the stories about empowered women, Rebel Girls! 🙂

This is total BS. In the original story Cinderella wanted to go to the dance and then after the dance she was going to leave that house and start her own life without the prince. But the prince ended up falling in love with her.

Dommage que le titre fasse écho à ce qui est en quelque sorte dénoncé dans ce livre : Pourquoi rebelles ? Incroyables, avec une gagne et une volonté de fer, bref normales quoi non ?!

Wow, you could not be more wrong! Cinderfella would've been very happy to have found the MAN of his dreams!! You guys are a bunch of hypocrites!!

And sad once more that the majority of all stories are only told, written and imaged in only one color 🙁

Wait, not one story she read growing up had a female protagonist? Was she actively hiding from those books? Because I had a lot of them...

Get this book for your sons as well, they need to see strong women as much as girls do

I'm not sure why it says "we wouldn't read this to our sons." Why wouldn't we? I'm in love with this adorable fairy godfather with his bushy mustache.

I'm glad I grew up on Anne of Green Gables and Little House on the Prairie. The women in those stories had substance.

You've obviously never read the Swedish author Astrid Lindgrens books about Pippi?