Originally posted on April 6, 2012 by Clara Bow

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“Among the top-grossing G-rated family films, girl characters are out-numbered by boys three-to-one. That’s the same ratio that has existed since the end of World War II. For decades, male characters have dominated nearly three-quarters of speaking parts in children’s entertainment, and 83% of film and TV narrators are male. The Institute’s research indicates that in some group scenes, only 17% of the characters are female. These absences are unquestionably felt by audiences, and children learn to accept the stereotypes represented. What they see affects their attitudes toward male and female values in our society, and the tendency for repeated viewing results in negative gender stereotypes imprinting over and over.” –Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media (http://www.thegeenadavisinstitute.org)

Reading that made me throw up a little in my mouth. The ratio hasn’t changed since 1946? And what has Mirror Mirror done to change that paradigm? Not much.

Sexism is inherent to most of the traditional fairy tales. If you include enough information to make a story recognizably a fairy tale, you also include the sexism. Snow White is an excellent example of this. There is no Snow White without patriarchy compliant beauty, the support of seven men, and the love of a prince.

The Mirror Mirror version of Snow White manages to get a few things right. Here Snow White learns how to fight from a band of thieves, she wears pantaloons rather than a dress, and declares, “I read so many stories where the prince saves the princess. It’s time we change that ending.” But don’t let this give you hope.

In her fight with the Prince, he slaps her on the ass with a sword no less than three times, and embraces her twice. She chooses to wear pantaloons only after a five minute montage of her trying on different outfits. And when she finally gives the Prince a kiss, as necessitated by the Global Accords Governing the Adherence of Female Fairy Tale Characters to Patriarchal Memes, the bandits give her a mini-makeover to get her ready. Give your heroine pants, have her fence and fight, give her a little feminist dialogue and you still have a sexist story, where Snow White’s appearance and cooking ability are more important to the plot than any of her other qualities.

It is with no little trepidation that I contemplate two related upcoming movies. In yet another version of Snow White, Snow White and the Huntsman, scheduled for release on June 1st, our heroine seems to have a more serious and aggressive role.

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In Brave, scheduled for release on June 22nd, Merida is the heroine in a novel, medieval, animated fairy tale. I must admit that I will watch the movie if only to see this scene from the new trailer again.

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