What Are Fairy Tales Really
Saying?
We use fairy tales to teach young children
morals; however, these fairy tales instill
negative stereotypes of girls, reinforce
racism, and expose children to strong
sexual innuendos.
Why I Chose My Topic
I chose my topic because I was interested
in finding out whether the rumors of
hidden images and messages were in fairy
tales. I found that there was much more
than just hidden sexual innuendos.
What is a Fairy Tale?
● My opinion- generally ● “Expert” opinions-
stories of enchantment. There may be a
A fairy tale is typically a supernatural or magical
story about something being, a sort of "fairy
that would not usually substitute,". Therefore,
happen in real life, such stories with genies,
as animals that can talk ogres, imps, wizards,
to humans. brownies, witches,
sorcerers, or fairies are
all fairy tales.
How Fairy Tales Got Started
Fairy tales were never meant for children.
They were originally a form of adult
entertainment.
How Fairy Tales Have Changed
Changed from hearing them orally, to
reading them, to watching them.
Fairy tales have changed, but not entirely.
How Women Are Negatively
Portrayed in Fairy Tales
● Shown as objects
● Only around to serve men
● Women are weak and passive
● Stepmothers are always evil
What Fairy Tales Are
Negatively Portraying Women
● Little Mermaid
● Mulan
● Shrek
● Sleeping Beauty
● Hansel and Gretel
● Cinderella
Little Mermaid Song Lyrics
Poor Unfortunate Souls
[But without my voice, how can I..]
[You'll have your looks]
[Your pretty face]
[And don't underestimate the importance of]
[Body language, Ha!]
The men up there don't like a lot of blabber
They thing a girl who gossips is a bore
Yes, on land it's much preferred
For ladies not to say a word
And after all, dear
What is idle prattle for?
[Come on]
They're not all that impressed with conversation
True gentlemen avoid it when they can
But they dote and swoon and fawn
On a lady who's withdrawn
It's she who holds her tongue
Who gets her man
Mulan Song Lyrics
● Honor to Us All ● Girl Worth Fighting For
●A girl can bring her family ● I want her paler than the
great honor in one way moon with eyes that
By striking a good match shine like stars
And this could be the day My girl will marvel at
my strength, adore my
Men want girls with good taste
battle scars
●
Calm
I couldn't care less what she'll
Obediant
wear or what she looks like
Who work fast-paced
It all depends on what
With good breeding
she cooks like
And a tiny waist
Beef, pork, chicken
You'll bring honor to us all
Mmm
We all must serve our Emperor
My girl will think I have no faults
●
●
Who guards us from the Huns
That I'm a major find
A man by bearing arms
How 'bout a girl who's got a brain
A girl by bearing sons
Who always speaks her mind?
Nah!
Shrek
●Refers to Snow White as a slut
Sleeping Beauty
● Sleeping Beauty is raped by prince
Hansel and Gretel
● Hansel has to come up with the ideas to
keep him and his sister safe
Cinderella
● Has to wait for the princely rescue
●Stereotypical stepmother
How Racism is Instilled in Fairy
Tales
Racial Slurs
● Upsetting lyrics in opening of Aladdin
Stereotypes
● Racial stereotyping of hyenas in Lion King
Aladdin Lyrics
Original first verse (1992-93):
Oh I come from a land, from a faraway place
Where the caravan camels roam
Where they cut off your ear
If they don't like your face
It's barbaric, but hey, it's home
New verse
Oh I come from a land, from a faraway place
Where the caravan camels roam
Where it's flat and immense
And the heat is intense
It's barbaric, but hey, it's home
Fairy Tales with Racism
● Lion King ● Aladdin
Sexual Innuendos Hidden in
Fairy Tales
● Sex
● Nudity
● Hidden messages
● Hidden images
Fairy Tales That Have Hidden
Sexual Innuendos
● Lion King
● Aladdin
● Rescuers Down Under
● Little Mermaid
How the Lion King Classifies as a
Fairy Tale
The Lion King classifies as a fairy tale
because the animals can speak to each
other and we as humans can understand
them.
Frame of Lion King
● In a scene in the
Lion King Simba lies
in the grass and
dandelions float up
and the letters
SEX can be seen in
the stars.
Snopes.com
SEX in Stars Broken into
Separate Frames
Snopes.com
Aladdin
● In a scene in Aladdin you can hear Aladdin
say, “Take off your clothes.”
Rescuers Flying Through the
City
Snopes.com
Priest Getting Aroused in Little
Mermaid
● Disney denied the
claims of his
erection and
claimed it was only
his knee.
Snopes.com
Suggestive Cover
● One of the towers
on the castle
closely resembles a
phallic symbol.
Final Thoughts
●My opinion on what children should hear
●Questions and Answers
Works Cited
● Yee, Kevin. Disney Urban Legends
www.snopes.com. November 17, 2003.