1. Cinderella’s key personality traits-- kindness, caring and optimism -- are stereotypically feminine. They're often written off by her critics as signs of weakness and pacifism. Just because Cinderella doesn’t stand up to her abusers in a traditionally masculine way doesn't mean she's weak/passive. Such claims are counterintuitively sexist.
2. People who claim Cinderella to be just a damsel in distress completely disregard the effect abuse played on her life. It unfairly assumes victims of abuse should or can fight back. Such claims unfairly blame the victim of emotional and physical abuse for being unable to escape her situation
3. Cinderella’s ability to remain hopeful and optimistic in the face of terrible daily abuse completely disproves the claim that she’s a weak/passive woman. Her optimistic hopes/fantasies of a much brighter future exemplifies incredible strength from within many victims of abuse don't hold onto. They're not the passive, mindless daydreams her critics claim they are.
4. Cinderella’s hopes and dreams do not revolve around a man. She never once even mentions a man when talking about her dreams (which she does a lot). Her dreams are built around a vision of future happiness, where she can live free from her abusers. Furthermore, her desire to attend the ball was about needing a much needed escape from a much needed brief escape from the oppression of her abusers (again, never mentioned a man)
5. Criticizing Cinderella for being unable to save herself shames people in difficult circumstances who need to ask for help. Cinderella's abusers had such massive power over her life that she couldn't just save herself. She needed help, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. It's not a sign of weakness. (more to read)
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I don’t think the story of a girl magically escaping abuse is empowering. All I hear is “be nice and have faith so maybe you’ll get lucky” but to each is own. I understand her story to have empathy but I don’t understand the glorification. If you like it, I love it.
cinderella is not my role model. why are all "good women" in tales touted as beautiful and "bad women" as ugly? this is discrimination. and that's why I hate disney characters.
And you also listed only 5 reasons. where are 6 and 7? lol
I thought it would let me add to the list when I finished but it didn't. I'm going to try to redo this so I can actually get all 7 down
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