Gender Stereotypes in Fairytale Movies

The Movies

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs  (1937) Cinderella (1950) Sleeping Beauty  (1959) The Little Mermaid (1989) Aladdin (1992) Tangled (2010)

Gender Stereotypes (gender essentialism)

Women

Fragile Damsel in

distress Housewives

Men

Tough Female protectors Heroes

Damsel in Distress??

Heroes??

The Heterosexual Matrix

SEX Male Female

GENDER Masculine Feminine

DESIRE Likes females Likes males

“Some people worry that fairy tales do not give a truthful rendition of life. They fear such stories are therefore unhealthy for children” (Davis, 2009).

“Though the films are magical and fun they do show gender stereotypes and present an idea for young children that the roles of men and women are different than what they are in society today” (Archer, 2008).

Comparison of how male and female are portrayed in those movies and Tangled aka Rapunzel

VERSUS

VERSUS

Implications for Education

How children perceive gender roles in society?

Teachers’ support for the children in doing critical analysis.

Gender awareness among the students.

Raising questions about the main characters; damsel in distress and heroes.

Implications for Education

Introduce gender aspects; assignment, role, identity, and attribution.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, and Aladdin versus Tangled.

Children have own ideal fairytales.

“Children need to learn that girls can be heroes and boys can help around the house” (Archer, 2008).

REFERENCESArcher, M. (2008, April 16). Gender Stereotypes. Retrieved September 03, 2011, from EzineArticles.com:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Gender-Stereotypes&id=1115363

 

Azamthebest (2011, April 19). Tangled Part 1 Full Movie [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vOeNFHXjKA

Davis, B. (2009, October 12). Fairy Tales as Children Stories. Retrieved October 02, 2011,

from Beverly's Treehouse: http://infohost.nmt.edu/~beverly/writings/fairytales.html

missashleyfabulous (2009, January 27). The Little Mermaid Ariels Beginning Part 1 [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g5-nx6A_aM

MrRoshika (2010, December 23). Cinderella Part 1 8 [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNCzXilo9SQ&feature=related

 

NiGHTSFarrah (2011, June 21). Sleeping Beauty FULL MOVIE [ PART 1 ] [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_qf8IPTq0o&feature=related

SnowHoneyThe2nd (2008, December 01). Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs part 1 [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gWiVs5Q0kc&feature=related

WaItDisneyWorId (2008, May 25). Aladdin - A Whole New World [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVxUUotm1P4