Fairy tales are put out to be this magical story with fantasy lands, and beautiful princesses finding their true prince. The way women’s roles and characteristics are portrayed in fairy tales has a negative impact on the children reading it. Children, especially girls, look up to the main character in fairy tale books. If the women do not have jobs, or animals wait on them hand and foot, what encourages young girls to want to be the president of a big company?
The stereotyping of women portrayed in fairy tales has a huge impact on the way little girls view the roles of a woman. Between the ages of three and six, children start to develop gender stereotyping of interests and occupations between male and female. Children are very aware of many of the differences between male and female, which means they can understand the gender roles and how women are portrayed in fairy tales. Kortenhaus & Demarest (1993) says that development in gender role identity is shaped by shared beliefs by society, by over simplified gender role stereotypes. These affect a child’s self- concept, interaction with peers and adults, expectations that others have for their behavior, and expectations for reciprocating behavior. Literature can shape how children view themselves, and the opposite sex; it could even set a standard for how they are supposed to act. Many fairy tales have this perfect love story of a prince coming and saving his princess and they fall in love happily ever after. This sets a very high standard for girls. Girls are never going to find a spouse if they think prince charming is going to save them from all of their troubles. If this fairy tale love story does not happen in their life, it could give girls low self esteem because she will think that that she is not good enough for a spouse.
Turner–Bowker (1996) explains that the language is many times utilized as a media tool to maintain the gender status of individuals in our society. Language is an extremely powerful thing. The use of language in a text could either encourage our youth, or demean them. The language in a novel could be used to describe the character roles in the book, physical and emotional characteristics, and abilities. How the novel portrays each of these through language is very crucial. If they are not saying positive things about women, children will begin to believe what the stories say if they are constantly hearing it. Many fairy tales give women roles that are very insignificant and powerless, but give men roles that need strength and power. Piaget believes that children are “little scientists,” and they are constantly learning new things about themselves and the world around them. What are fairy tales teaching them about how they should act? Its is giving unrealistic expectations of women. Arbuthnot (1984) explains that books are often the primary source for the presentation of societal values to the young child. Fairy tales are not giving children appropriate values to apply to their life. Adults should be child advocates and teach them to always look at what the bible says they are, instead of what the fairy tale says about women.
Both parents and teachers love reading fairy tales to children, which means children are surrounded with them. Parents use them as bedtime stories, and teachers use them to read aloud to their classroom. In an article written by Jun- Min Kuo (2006), a student researcher from Tawain, concluded that fairy tales put women into four different categories: nurturing mother/caregiver, dutiful daughters, sexual/passionate woman, and mad/bad woman. This does not give children much of an option as to what kind of women they want to be.
Teachers should be very aware of reading fairy tales in classrooms. They should be teaching with an anti- bias curriculum and all children should feel welcome and unashamed. Teachers will have students from all backgrounds, households, shapes and sizes. If the teacher is only reading stories to children about a beautiful, skinny white girl, what is this going to say to the other students? Fairy tales have been around for many, many years, and scholars have always seen a sexist issue about them. The authors are portraying women as beautiful, helpless, things that need a man to complete them.
References
Arbuthnot, M. (1964). Children and books (3rd ed.). Chicago: Scott, Foresman.
Demarest, J., & Kortenhaus, C. (1993). Gender role stereotyping in children's literature: An
update. Sex Roles, 28(3-4), 219-232.
Jun-min, K. (2006). Fairy Tales and Feminist Discursive Analysis. International Journal Of
Learning, 13(4), 109-118.
Turner- Bowker, D. (1996). Gender Stereotyped Descriptors in Children's Picture Books: Does
“curious Jane” Exist in the Literature. Sex Roles, 35(7-8), 461-488.
The stereotyping of women portrayed in fairy tales has a huge impact on the way little girls view the roles of a woman. Between the ages of three and six, children start to develop gender stereotyping of interests and occupations between male and female. Children are very aware of many of the differences between male and female, which means they can understand the gender roles and how women are portrayed in fairy tales. Kortenhaus & Demarest (1993) says that development in gender role identity is shaped by shared beliefs by society, by over simplified gender role stereotypes. These affect a child’s self- concept, interaction with peers and adults, expectations that others have for their behavior, and expectations for reciprocating behavior. Literature can shape how children view themselves, and the opposite sex; it could even set a standard for how they are supposed to act. Many fairy tales have this perfect love story of a prince coming and saving his princess and they fall in love happily ever after. This sets a very high standard for girls. Girls are never going to find a spouse if they think prince charming is going to save them from all of their troubles. If this fairy tale love story does not happen in their life, it could give girls low self esteem because she will think that that she is not good enough for a spouse.
Turner–Bowker (1996) explains that the language is many times utilized as a media tool to maintain the gender status of individuals in our society. Language is an extremely powerful thing. The use of language in a text could either encourage our youth, or demean them. The language in a novel could be used to describe the character roles in the book, physical and emotional characteristics, and abilities. How the novel portrays each of these through language is very crucial. If they are not saying positive things about women, children will begin to believe what the stories say if they are constantly hearing it. Many fairy tales give women roles that are very insignificant and powerless, but give men roles that need strength and power. Piaget believes that children are “little scientists,” and they are constantly learning new things about themselves and the world around them. What are fairy tales teaching them about how they should act? Its is giving unrealistic expectations of women. Arbuthnot (1984) explains that books are often the primary source for the presentation of societal values to the young child. Fairy tales are not giving children appropriate values to apply to their life. Adults should be child advocates and teach them to always look at what the bible says they are, instead of what the fairy tale says about women.
Both parents and teachers love reading fairy tales to children, which means children are surrounded with them. Parents use them as bedtime stories, and teachers use them to read aloud to their classroom. In an article written by Jun- Min Kuo (2006), a student researcher from Tawain, concluded that fairy tales put women into four different categories: nurturing mother/caregiver, dutiful daughters, sexual/passionate woman, and mad/bad woman. This does not give children much of an option as to what kind of women they want to be.
Teachers should be very aware of reading fairy tales in classrooms. They should be teaching with an anti- bias curriculum and all children should feel welcome and unashamed. Teachers will have students from all backgrounds, households, shapes and sizes. If the teacher is only reading stories to children about a beautiful, skinny white girl, what is this going to say to the other students? Fairy tales have been around for many, many years, and scholars have always seen a sexist issue about them. The authors are portraying women as beautiful, helpless, things that need a man to complete them.
References
Arbuthnot, M. (1964). Children and books (3rd ed.). Chicago: Scott, Foresman.
Demarest, J., & Kortenhaus, C. (1993). Gender role stereotyping in children's literature: An
update. Sex Roles, 28(3-4), 219-232.
Jun-min, K. (2006). Fairy Tales and Feminist Discursive Analysis. International Journal Of
Learning, 13(4), 109-118.
Turner- Bowker, D. (1996). Gender Stereotyped Descriptors in Children's Picture Books: Does
“curious Jane” Exist in the Literature. Sex Roles, 35(7-8), 461-488.