Girl Power

[VTChEwbecca]

I found this website featuring a list of books for preteen/early teen girls, which promote independent and intelligent females. I thought some of you with children that age might be interested, as the literature for children seems often to promote girls as inferior to boys.

 

[Rosie]

Good list. To it I'd add the Lemony Snicket books, there's quite a spunky little girl in there.

I've found it mostly depends on the time period and culture you're dealing with when it comes to how books deal with women/girls. But, for example, I think the Little House on the Prairie books promote independent women, though its set in the late 1800's, I believe. No ones going out and conquering women's rights, mind you, but I think the women in these books are quite gutsy! Everything must be taken in context of the culture.

 

[VTChEwbecca]

I agree that the women in Little House were strong in their own ways...they had to be, as they were living out in the middle of no where.

However, I disagree on time period being the main factor in how females are portrayed. Look at Disney's fairy tales, where all the girls are "waiting to be rescued by their prince" or something along those lines. Leaving little girls all over the world believing that the main goal of a woman is to find a man. Too many books, even newer ones, are written to show the boys as more competent than the females, even if the females are gaining ground. Little girls and young women ought to have books available to them that portray a woman as more than someone who needs a man.

Of course, I am rather independent myself, as a female engineer. So I tend to be an advocate of equality...especially for children. (And no, I'm not a feminazi).

 

[Rosie]

Here here! I agree with you on both points! My least favorite Disney movie is "Cinderella". It frustrates me to no end. I don't want my (future) girls to think the right thing to do is sit around and let people abuse you and take advantage of you and the only way out is if a man steps in and saves you.

This is why I loved "Matilda" so much. Its kind of an anti-Cinderella .

I'm constantly disgusted when I go to Chapters (Barnes and Noble for our American friends) and see the novels that are aimed at young girls. I see books pictures of girls with thongs hanging out of their behinds on the cover or look at Teen magazines and just get depressed. Why on earth do we feed this crap to our girls? These books and magazines are about make-up, dating, kissing, clothes, and movie stars. It only promotes the "I must have a man to complete me" mentality!

 

[VTChEwbecca]

Maybe we should start our own teenage magazine, Rosie....one that doesn't promote such crap. Of course, we really need to make an adult version, as well, to compete with Cosmo and Glamour.