The Victorian government is helping children rethink fairy tales – in an effort to combat gender stereotypes
A teaching aid in the Respectful Relationship program encourages early childhood educators and teachers discuss gender roles within the classic stories.
Six and seven-year-old students can play “fairy tale detectives” to find out “what kinds of things girls and boys and men and women get do in fairy tales”.
Kids are encouraged to swap the gender roles of characters in stories such as Cinderella, Snow White and Rapunzel.
“The types of behaviours considered acceptable, appropriate or desirable for girls and boys (‘gender norms’) are created by societies,” the program states.
It says central characters are more likely to be male and female characters “are more often in nurturing roles, and occupations are gender stereotyped”.
This leads “to a sense of entitlement in boys and lower self-esteem in girls”, according to the authors.
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After reports of fairy tales being “at risk” in schools, Minister for Families and Children, Jenny Mikakos, said the government was not banning fairy tales.
“I read fairy tales to the kids in my family, I’ll continue to do that and I urge parents and early childhood educators to do the same,” Ms Mikakos told Mamamia.
“Kids should be allowed to grow up to be whatever they want – not made to feel like they have to fit into a gender stereotype,” she added.
Top Comments
If we're talking about re-imagined fairy tales, I'll stick with Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes, thanks!
This is going too far. I'll continue reading fairy tales to my daughter and if she wants to be a princess so be it!!!!