Let them be who they want to be- Cinderella Ate My Daughter

         In Cinderella Ate My Daughter, Orenstein discusses the influences and impacts of princess culture on girls.  She says that girls’ brains are at their “most malleable and open to long term influence on roles that go with their sex” when they first fall for princesses. As a result, she worries that girls will be discouraged from being competent, strong, creative or smart but to simply wait for the prince. Indeed, Orenstein makes some valid and compelling points. However, I believe that girls are fully capable of rejecting the cultural and media impositions if they deemed them to be harmful. If they were to realize how pinks and princess toys could “poison” their minds, they would react sensibly and make wise decisions accordingly. After all, girls are “not” passive beings who mindlessly absorb the influences and stereotypes that could potentially harm them. Saying so would be underestimating women.

         Though the influences of pink toys and princess dresses on girls are detrimental, isolating them from a child or raising a child gender- neutral may not be the most desirable pursuit.  In the book, Orenstein shares the story of her daughter and how she tried to raise her unbiased and free from gender codes. Despite the effort, however, her daughter chooses Disney Princesses over Thomas the Tank Engine.  I think “training” young girls to turn away from princess toys and pink dresses could end up being oppressive regarding how ubiquitous Disney princess toys, stories, and pink are, not to mention the “National Princess Week”. Perhaps letting them be who they want to be while teaching them that gender can be a limiting factor and believing that they are fully capable of rejecting the stereotypes may better help them find their “true happily ever after”  or the ending Orenstein so eagerly desires.