The Role Of Gender Stereotypes In Fairy Tales

One night, a mother was reading a fairytale to her two and half year old daughter. A light bulb went off in her head when she realized that these fairytales went against everything she believed in. On a professional level, she is an independent businesswoman who spends her days teaching women to avoid cultural norms and expectations. Teaching her daughter that life will turn out to be a “happily ever after” was completely going against her morals and beliefs. She began to rewrite the stories she read her daughter. Now when she reads these fairytales she knows her daughter is being exposed to a more balanced view of life (Loder). Fairytales set unrealistic expectations for children by creating stereotypical gender roles, a lack of confidence, and a false …show more content…
There is a clear difference in the way men and women are portrayed in fairytales. In the 1960s, studies proved that the relationship between gender stereotypes in children books and its affect on a child’s development was evident. These studies concluded that the exposure to gender stereotypes in fairytales influence children to believe males are dominant and females are more passive (Kuykendal, Sturm). It is considered normal for women to be seen as weak and subservient individuals who are dependent on a powerful male figure. Traditional female characters are represented as innocent victims in need of a savior (Neikirk). In times of need, female characters dream about heroes coming to save them. Strong, independent women tend to be viewed as threats to ideal gender roles. Is society discouraging a girl’s potential by making them believe these negative stereotypes? Girls should not be taught that they need a powerful male to help solve their problems. Instead they should be exposed to stories where girls are independent and take care of themselves. Powerful women in fairytales are often looked at as evil or ugly.