You May Kiss, Live Happily Ever After. And More Fairy Tale Fallacies

 Shrek and Fiona may have changed how we looked at prince charming and encouraged women power, but there will always be that “happily ever after. “

The newest Disney Princess, Rapunzel in Tangled maybe not our typical princess waiting to be rescued by a perfect prince but there will always be the “Wedding” 

Kylie, 25 months a little too much Disney Princesses alright!

Being subjected to the commercial fad of these princesses and princes, Kylie at age two, she already wanted to meet her prince and get married. Whenever she sees a couple, she always tactlessly asks, “Did you already kiss?” or “Did you get married?” – Or “Are you getting married?!

It’s cute alright but I am really annoyed at the thought that she thinks that her life’s adventure ends happily ever after... After she get married!

 Here’s to Disney Princesses – BOOHOO. I understand completely Why Mia is no fan of Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty etc. Damn right, why can’t Cinderella can’t get a degree and moved out of the stepmother’s house and for crying out loud, start a career? And why can’t Snow White find his way back to the castle from the forest with the help of her new found friend dwarfs? If she was the prettiest woman alive, she could definitely charm those dwarfs to do what she wishes. Get out of that slump, woman! You deserve better than a poison apple. Fight back! Evil only wins when good people don’t do anything.

Don’t get me started on Ariel who happens to be my daughter’s favorite at the moment. She was quite the adventurer which I really (really!) like. “I want to be part of your world!” is a dream big song based from my interpretation. Aspiring to be part of something bigger and more beautiful than you is a trait I definitely want my daughter to possess. TThe only part which pains me is that the catalyst has to be a, you guess it, a prince!  Too shallow for me: “Me Ariel. Me Woman. Me Want Legs. Of Course, Me Want Man with Legs.” Pardon the thoughts racing from my mind.

Moving on to Sleeping Beauty – come on!! She got locked up, slept for years and the minute she woke up – she got married! They should learn from Belle and live her own life for a while. Kudos to Belle when she turned down Gaston for marriage. I loved how she craved for adventure coming from a small town village and wanting to see more of what’s out there in the world. The first adventure she found was worth the while of turning down a marriage. She met new weird friends which happened to be royalties and turned them back to normal, lifting the fairy spell. Beast returns back to being a Prince and whooaaa, Belle married him; they kissed and lived happily ever after. A little too soon as well, for me. The Beast turned into a Monster, he needs to prove himself over and over... and over again before marriage.

I can’t remember whether Mulan kissed Shang in the first movie but at least they had to wait for the second movie to get married. The way it should be – a woman should find her complete self first before committing to marriage. And who ever said that a woman has to lose her identity for a prince charming. Mulan certainly didn’t simply because she spent her life finding her true self and helping her family instead of assuming the position of the princess waiting to be rescued.

 Time and again, the women have fought their rights and proved that they are as capable (if not more!) as men. So why these princesses’ stories can’t be revised to fit these changing situations.

Let me give it a shot.

Once upon a time there was a so-so looking little girl named Cinderella. Her mother died when we was a young girl. Her father was having financial problems and was very lonely being a single parent. He found a lovely woman to marry. Cinderella’s stepmother loved Cinderella instantly. Her two stepsisters felt the same way; they got along pretty well at their small house, living a simple life. The father died due to accident. It caused so much pain for everyone but everyone needs to move one. Cinderella wanted to move out of the house but she felt guilty leaving her stepfamily behind. The family thought of hooking up with the prince for his money, fame and status. Cinderella’s prettier stepsister married the Prince. Prince’s brother met Cinderella and wanted to marry her as well. Cinderella didn’t want marriage and left the village for better opportunity. She studied the ins and outs of stock exchange and got established. She ended up wealthier than the prince’s family. She came back home and she considered dating the Prince, King’s (formerly the prince who already assumed the throne) brother

The Prince and Cinderella have been dating for seven years now. Cinderella acquired a lot of properties and enjoys her annual travel around the world. She is also currently the Ambassador of UC (United Castles) and does charity work during her travel.

Everybody is happily waiting for their new adventure to come. The End.

 So, what you think of the story? I may have mentioned the word, financial twice or more which maybe against the fairy tale practice but then I tried to change a lot of misconception too. Step mothers and step sisters are not necessarily bad and that they should get the prince sometimes. I have also highlighted that living simple is good but not wanting to see other adventure out there is bad. We don’t need problems in life before we take initiative. And who ever said, Cinderella needs to be pretty to be heroine of the story? It’s a scam and we are buying into the false illusion of being a woman.

Not that I don’t buy in. These princesses are everywhere in my house. Kylie has almost all of the princesses’ dresses, except for Mulan and Ariel. And she receives a lot of princesses’ related gifts from friends and relatives. I have known these princesses stories not from my childhood but from movie marathons with her. I am not saying I can’t help it, I can but then she’ll look like she lived under the rock for not knowing these stories at her age now. Here’s just me hoping that this phase will pass and that her idea of what a happily ever after will not tainted with pink illusions of the Disney World.

And off we go to Disney  World next year. ;)