Orenstien’s Cinderella article really hit a nerve. I wrote a paper a few years back for a class called ‘Intercultural Theory and Children’s Literature’ and the thesis was based on the evolution of the bookstore and its part in defining gender roles – and childhood. To summarize my observations, there is more of a distinct line between gender roles than there is ‘childhood’. I recall some of the suggestive pre adolescent novels I came across, and the insane number of what I call ‘tv-toys’ wrapped in cardboard as a disguise for actual literature (with a common ‘l’). These are the ‘Bratz’ books and all theother toy cartoon –come-to-life commodities that get the best shelf space. I don’t’ take my children to the bookstore – because it is like taking them to Zellers. The books have nail polish and makeup attached to them. The stories are about going shopping (though they have no jobs), and attracting boys. Quite frankly, I think if anyone is going to teach my child about shopping or boys –it’s going to be me. That’s my job. I can’t imagine what improvement to her vocabulary could come from any of that material.
When it comes to the girl/woman/pageant phenomena I can see where she’s coming from. Seeing little girls dressed up as adults makes me a bit nauseous. I’m not sure why – it just seems … questionable. I don’t judge the parents – but I think as consumers we ought to demand better products. This is an economical issue to me, and I’m not so sure that even if they were to remove every princess-related article from the shelves, that little girls would have a healthy sense of self. Barbie and Disney aside, almost every story book features the picture and voice of a White child. I could complain about that – but it’s a ‘reality’. People tend to tell stories about those who look like them, sound like them etc. (mind you I don’t know how that accounts for the numerous stories of animals monsters and aliens in literature who show up more often than so called minorities) but I digress. If I want a certain type of book for my children to read, I know where to find it.
