Sexual Harassment and Feminism in Fairy Tales

Have you ever wondered what messages lie beneath the dreamy surface of fairytales? Despite being perceived as innocent and harmless, fairytales contain deeper themes that reflect gender dynamics and societal norms like sexual harassment and the absence of feminist values. These problems are demonstrated by the non-consensual interactions, passive heroines, and damaging beauty standards in tales like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. As we become older, we start to recognize the hidden issues in these tales and how they promote outdated beliefs about women and their roles in society.

Heather D. Flowe, a director of global engagement, discusses themes of rape and unfeminist heroines in fairy tales like Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella in the article titled “Mirror, Minor: Reflections on Rape and Memory in Fairy Tales”, she writes that “Cinderella’s stepsisters brutally maim their own feet to fit into her glass slipper and deceive the prince.” (Flowe). This passage shows the lack of independence in Cinderella, as her stepsisters go to extreme lengths just to gain the prince’s attention. Cinderella herself is portrayed as passive and weak in the fairy tale. It is said multiple times she always relies on others, such as animals and her fairy godmother, to help her, but never takes the initiative to change her situation. She does not stand up for herself or go after what she desires; instead, she simply waits for events to unfold.  

In the Women’s Media Center’s F-Bomb, Claire C. discusses the lack of feminism in fairy tales in her article “The Problem with Fairy Tales”. She argues that in many fairy tales, the female protagonist always needs to be rescued by a prince, and rarely, if ever, does the heroine save herself. The article also points out that these heroines are always depicted as young and attractive, while older women are rarely shown as positive figures or heroines. (Claire). In my opinion, this perspective is biased. Not only does it suggest that female heroines must rely on a prince for rescue, but it also implies that if a woman is not young and beautiful, she is rendered worthless or invisible. 

In relation to Claire C’s article, a journalist named Romayne Smith Fullerton writes in her article named “Not ‘Of Woman Born’: Fairy Tale Mothers for Postmodern Literary Children,” discusses how the ideal of feminine beauty can be viewed as a tool for social control, limiting women’s lives by encouraging them to internalize societal norms and values. According to Fullerton, this belief helps control women as they take on helpless identity titles like “nice girl” and the show of “feminine beauty,” argued as normative limitations that limit women’s ability to exert influence and power in society. (Fullerton). This characteristic is noticeable in fairy tales, where heroines are always shown as submissive and passive, waiting to be saved so they can live their lives and reach their full potential. 

Also, “Show and Tell: Sleeping Beauty as Verbal Icon and Seductive Story” by Maria Tatar,”  an American professor”, examines Sleeping Beauty as both a “verbal icon” and a “seductive story,” focusing on how the tale reflects cultural narratives about gender, power, and sexuality. She talks about how the story’s depiction of the passive, unconscious princess, awaiting a prince’s kiss to awaken her, symbolizes feminine passivity and vulnerability. Maria talks about the non-consensual nature of the kiss, highlighting its problematic implications for concepts of sexual agency and consent. (Tatar). She suggests that the portrayal of the female body as both desirable and motionless is a theme that reinforces overall ideas of male sexual power and female degradation. She explores how these mirror broader societal gender roles.

In contrast to Tatar, “The Pervasiveness and Persistence of the Feminine Beauty Ideal in Children’s Fairy Tales” by Lori Baker-Sperry and Liz Grauerholz examine how the feminine beauty ideal is deeply embedded in children’s fairy tales and the consequences of this common representation. They analyze popular fairy tales like “Cinderella”, “Snow White”, and “Sleeping Beauty”, which highlight the physical appearance of a female protagonist. The authors argue that these tales show an ideal of feminine beauty that is linked to goodness and reward while failing to look at other qualities like intelligence or independence. (Baker-Sperry & Grauerholz). This portrayal reinforces gender stereotypes by suggesting that women must meet societal standards of beauty to be valued. The article underscores how these fairy tales contribute to the internalization of harmful beauty norms, shaping children’s perceptions of gender roles and self-worth.

Similarly, in Sleeping Beauty, Flowe refers to the version of Sun, Moon, and Talia by Giambattista Basile, written in the 17th century. In this version, a passing king repeatedly rapes Princess Talia while she sleeps. She only wakes up months later to find that she has given birth to his children. This story highlights the lack of consent from Sleeping Beauty, who is powerless in the situation. (Flowe) So I want to ask: how would you feel waking up after years of being unconscious just to find out that you are pregnant with a child because a man raped you? I know that if that were me, I would be outraged. And I know that some people might argue that the prince had to kiss her to wake her up, but even if that was true, she never asked him to kiss her, and she most certainly did not consent to being raped while asleep. 

This theme of non-consensual encounters in fairy tales is talked about by Stephanie Merritt, an English literary critic, who examines the connection of these stories in a modern context. In her article “Once Upon a Sexual Assault,” Merritt talks about how Sleeping Beauty is rooted in a story of rape. She further explains this argument by connecting this to the case of Brock Turner, the Stanford student who sexually assaulted an unconscious woman behind a dumpster at a party. Merritt points out the similarity between Turner’s actions and Sleeping Beauty, because in both cases, the woman is unconscious, and the man takes advantage of them. (Merritt). Just like Sleeping Beauty, Snow White follows a similar storyline where a prince must kiss Snow White to wake her up after she eats the poisoned apple, and once again, this happens without her consent. As a child, I thought it was romantic, and I wished to be in one of these princesses’ situations, where a prince would kiss me to wake me up. But now, I’ve come to realize that it’s not okay for anyone to do that without your approval. And just like me, other kids are being taught and listening to these fairy tales, not knowing or understanding the meaning behind these stories. 

The stories that we tell children have a major effect on how they view the world; it shapes their understanding of right and wrong from a young age. Teachers should be more mindful of the messages that are told in the stories they share with children. Merritt also mentions in her article the case of a mother of a six-year-old who asked that Sleeping Beauty be removed from her child’s school because of its harmful message about kissing unconscious girls without their consent. This mother’s concern is understandable because if I were a parent, I wouldn’t want my child to think that it is ok to touch or kiss someone without their approval. Every story carries a lesson, and if these lessons aren’t told about correctly, children may absorb harmful ideas and believe that non-consensual behavior is acceptable when, in reality, it is not. And just like in the case of Brock Turner, it has become common to see news stories on television about people raping others in broad daylight. I remember seeing a news report on June 18, 2024, about a man who raped a 13-year-old girl in broad daylight. He was arrested, but what I kept on thinking about was what that little girl might have felt in that moment—she didn’t ask for it. Nobody ever does. The world has become dangerous, with people doing whatever they want without considering how it affects others’ lives. I am scared to walk outside at night or in the morning. I have to constantly look over my shoulder to see if someone, anyone is following me because that is just how dangerous the world has become.

In conclusion, fairy tales like Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella may appear to be magical and innocent, but they carry messages about gender, power, and consent. These stories show harmful lessons by portraying women as passive, valuing beauty over independence, and trying to romanticize non-consensual encounters. It is important to carefully examine the stories we share with kids and address the lessons that they teach.