Nanny Hates Sleeping Beauty

As expected, the media hysteria over the alleged behaviour of certain celebrities and politicians has had a knock on effect in the real world.

Sarah Hall, from Northumberland Park, has decided that the fairytale Sleeping Beauty promotes unacceptable behaviour which shouldn’t be read to young children.
She is of the view that it teaches children that it is ok to kiss a woman while she’s asleep, which she says is not acceptable.

ChronicleLive reports that she left a comment in her son’s record book, and contacted his school to ask if books featuring it could be taken out of circulation for younger classes.

She said:

 “In today’s society, it isn’t appropriate - my son is only six, he absorbs everything he sees, and it isn’t as if I can turn it into a constructive conversation.

“I don’t think taking Sleeping Beauty books out of circulation completely would be right. I actually think it would be a great resource for older children, you could have a conversation around it, you could talk about consent, and how the Princess might feel.

But I’m really concerned about it for younger children, would really welcome a conversation about whether this is suitable material."

She said:

“I think it’s a specific issue in the Sleeping Beauty story about sexual behaviour and consent.

It’s about saying is this still relevant, is it appropriate?”

All very well except, as with everything in life, deeds and words must be taken and judged in context. The kiss is in no manner or means portrayed in the fairytale as being sexual; ie it is clearly not an assault.

Kate Edwards, chief executive of Seven Stories, the national centre for children's books , argued stories like Sleeping Beauty have an important cultural and traditional role to play, and shouldn't be lost - but they can be 'played with'.

"The fairytale tradition is rooted in moral instruction, telling children what's right and wrong.

Of course, the cultural context and moral have changed hugely, so it's important that children are given cultural context - but you can do that without losing these stories.

We would always want to explore that story and its cultural relevance and rights and wrongs, as well as playing with it a bit.

Children have a strong sense of right and wrong, and talking about stories is a good way to access that.

We would also point to a lot of retellings of Sleeping Beauty, like The Worst Princess, which keep elements of the story but with a very empowered princess."

What about stories such as Little Red Riding Hood?

Surely being chased by a ravenous wolf is far more threatening?

More to the point, surely the attempted poisoning of Sleeping Beauty by the evil queen is not acceptable either?

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