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Don’t bet on the prince - A book review
un articulo por Ana Carla Rodrigues Afonso

It has been a long time since you’ve been looking for alternative fairy tales without finding anything worthwhile? If this is your case (and if it not as well) I invite you to have a look at the fairy tales’ anthology collected in the essay ‘Don’t bet on the prince’. The anthology was edited by Jack Zipes in the 1960s and includes selected works from such writers as Angela Carter, Margaret Atwood and Jay Williams, and critical essays about fairy tales analysis through a gender perspective from Marcia Lieberman and Sandra Gilbert.



click on photo to enlarge

All the fairy tales contained in the book are fascinating and in many cases consist in alternative feminist versions of old and well- known fairy tales, e.g. ‘Cinderella’ or ‘The donkey princess’. The added value of these versions stays in the fact that they provide for unconventional feminine and masculine roles and characteristics that are attached to important learning and life lessons.

One of my favourites is ‘The moon ribbon’ which deep teachings are connected with women’s and girls’ empowerment through the discovery of the capacity to sort out life problems by themselves (not necessarily being dependent on the ‘prince’ who will come to save them). Another important learning that can be harnessed to the story is the importance of women’s legacy inside the family. This may happen especially through the transmission of wisdom, by being supportive towards each other and especially towards the younger girls and women in the family.

In many of the fairy tales contained in the book, the idea of ‘the prince who will come one day to save the girl from the cruelty of a stepmother’ is deconstructed. In this sense the tales offer interesting options to this unhealthy model of relationship. The new models proposed are based on active girls who take positive and courageous actions for themselves and the others, showing commitment towards social problems, for example.

And, as the ‘cruel stepmother’ was mentioned, let me put forward a provoking question: what does women learn about the way to relate with each other through this kind of stories (i.e., traditional fairy tales), where women characters are almost never portrayed as friends and supportive towards each other, and most often are in competition or engaged in mean behaviours towards each other? And, what kind of impact may these representations have in real life?

To conclude I believe it is important to highlight the necessity for women to ‘don’t bet on the prince’ and rather bet on themselves. I don’t mean with this to be individualistic or live in solitude for the sake of being independent, instead I want to stress the importance to cultivating a wide network of friendships and loves (i.e., love in its various forms and possibilities) in which a woman can rely in different moments of her life. As well, it is essential to always keep in mind that all women (as well as men) have infinite resources inside themselves that they can use to overcome problems and live a fulfilling life. There is nothing innate saying women (and men) need to be one way or another, all human beings should be free to choose and define themselves and the way they want to live their lives.

DISCUSSION

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What other resources can be utilized to give women more opportunities?,

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On their website, the United Nations Population Fund makes it clear that lack of access to family planning is a form of violence against women.

"Gender-based violence both reflects and reinforces inequities between men and women and compromises the health, dignity, security and autonomy of its victims. It encompasses a wide range of human rights violations, including sexual abuse of children, rape, domestic violence, sexual assault and harassment, trafficking of women and girls and several harmful traditional practices. Any one of these abuses can leave deep psychological scars, damage the health of women and girls in general, including their reproductive and sexual health, and in some instances, results in death.

Violence against women has been called "the most pervasive yet least recognized human rights abuse in the world." Accordingly, the Vienna Human Rights Conference and the Fourth World Conference on Women gave priority to this issue, which jeopardizes women's lives, bodies, psychological integrity and freedom. Violence may have profound effects – direct and indirect – on a woman's reproductive health, including:

Unwanted pregnancies and restricted access to family planning information and contraceptives
Unsafe abortion or injuries sustained during a legal abortion after an unwanted pregnancy
Complications from frequent, high-risk pregnancies and lack of follow-up care
Sexually transmitted infections, including HIV
Persistent gynaecological problems
Psychological problems
Gender-based violence also serves – by intention or effect – to perpetuate male power and control. It is sustained by a culture of silence and denial of the seriousness of the health consequences of abuse. In addition to the harm they exact on the individual level, these consequences also exact a social toll and place a heavy and unnecessary burden on health services.

UNFPA recognizes that violence against women is inextricably linked to gender-based inequalities. When women and girls are expected to be generally subservient, their behaviour in relation to their health, including reproductive health, is negatively affected at all stages of the life cycle.

UNFPA puts every effort into breaking the silence and ensuring that the voices of women are heard. At the same time, the Fund works to change the paradigm of masculinity that allows for the resolution of conflict through violence. . ... continuación.


Este artículo ha sido publicado on line el October 23, 2013.