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axailslink · 1 year

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Stay the night?

Vivienne Scott (Scotty) x poc FEM reader

Summary: After dating for a while Scotty wonders why you both don't have a title and you're wondering why Scotty has never invited you over to her place.

Snippet from the fic: “ "So we never really made us official we just kind of kissed and it went from there." ”

Scotty hates leaving you when the clock strikes ten it makes her feel like some fucked up retelling of Cinderella. She groans when her alarm goes off she's hesitant to unwrap herself from your grip "I don't want to go" you laugh in her chest and rub your hand up and down her back gently "you have to." She groans again and turns off her alarm placing her arm back around you. "You're right I have to take care of mama she gets worried when I'm not home" you nod in agreement "I could come over to your place and stay the night and maybe we could actually sleep in the same bed for one..?" Scotty smiles just from hearing the possible suggestion. She's looking at the wall behind you avoiding eye contact while you're looking straight at her. "I could help you with mama if you're up for that I think she likes me" Scotty nods slowly "you want to stay at my place?" You nod and press a soft kiss to Scotty's temple "What if the light goes out or we plug up too many devices and the power goes out? What if we have no hot water?" Scotty is obviously panicking and you're not sure why you've been inside her house before and everything was fine.

"None of that matters to me plus aren't you the neighborhood handy man?" She laughs "I'm not the main handyman I'm cheaper than the handyman but I guess so." You smile and roll over on your back "I've never judged you and I never will but if you're more comfortable with our current situation I'm not mad at you." She slowly gets up and sighs "I guess you could stay the night but if anything goes wrong I will die of embarrassment." You're quick to jump up and grab a bag and pack it with a pair of night clothes and clothes for the following day.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Your night is spent watching movies and cuddling you've noticed Scotty is more herself around you. There was a time in the past she wouldn't put her hands anywhere near you but now she's laying on your chest as your bare legs are wrapped around her waist keeping her close. Scotty's been thinking about how she never officially asked you to be her girl and that shouldn't be a big deal right? No this is Scotty she overthinks everything involving you so yes to her this is a big deal. For the past week she's been looking for the perfect time to ask and right now as you both are cuddled up your hands gently playing with her hair and hers wrapped around your figure she feels this is the moment. Scotty looks up at you with tired eyes "Y/n? Are you awake?" You nod slowly taking your attention off the TV and looking at her. When you let your eyes run over her you can't help but smile at the nervous facial expression she holds she's looking everywhere but you and her pronunciation makes her lips turn a certain way.

"So we never really made us official we just kind of kissed and it went from there." You nod unsure where this conversation spawned from but going along with it. "Yeah you were all shy like you are now but when you kissed me nothing about that kiss was shy." Scotty rubs her arm and laughs "I was preparing myself for that kiss a week early." You smile at her "I could tell I knew it seemed practiced" Scotty laughs out of embarrassment now before speaking "right. So I never got to actually ask you to be my girlfriend would you want to be my girlfriend?" You nod "Scotty I'm already your girlfriend but if you want to put a title on us go ahead. You can title it "relationship" "girlfriend" "hook up" I don't care as long as you're with me." Scotty nods but it's not the answer she wants to hear. Noticing Scotty's change in face you speak up rather quickly "I didn't mean that I don't want to be your girlfriend it's just I thought we already were girlfriends. Are we girlfriends?" Scotty is surprised by the uno reverse card you just pulled but she's quick to answer "yeah we're girlfriends...or whatever" Scotty tries to play her smile off but her being on your chest doesn't give her much room to do so. "Or whatever?" Scotty laughs "yeah we're girlfriends stop dragging it it's kind of embarrassing."

You lean down a place a soft kiss on Scotty's lips only for it to go pitch black in the room. "Scotty the breaker box went out!" you can't hold back your laugh because if that isn't perfect timing you don't know what is. Scotty sighs and gets up while you sit up and grab your jacket "c'mon we'll go turn it back on" Scotty slips on her shoes and nods "I told you this would happen you're a bad luck charm" you scoff "what? All I've been giving you is good luck this is your fault." Scotty smiles as you both walk out the bedroom door and towards the living room. Great timing breaker box great fucking timing.

A/n: I did not portray Scotty as poor I portrayed Scotty as normal because this shit actually happens. Especially in my old houses and I just think this would definitely happen in hers. We call it shitty landlords. Anyways this is unedited.

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ellesliterarycorner · 1 year

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Writing a Retelling

I used to not like reading or writing retellings, but I actually think that writing a retelling might be on my bingo card for 2023, so I decided to do some research on writing them and share it with y’all! I think the reason I used to dislike retellings was because they can go SO wrong, and they are really hard to write. But, the more I’ve looked into this, I’ve decided writing retellings is actually a really good exercise for writers. The world’s been around for so long that there are no completely new plots, and taking the essentials plots of one story and turning them into something new is a great exercise in the basics of plotting and understanding the nature of characters.

Back to the OG

Read the original story! That might seem like an obvious thing, but sometimes it doesn’t feel every author remembers to do this. If it’s a story you haven’t read since you were little, don’t rely on your memory, especially if its a story with a lot of different remakes. Are you writing a retelling of the Disney movie Cinderella or the original Greek folk tale? Spoiler alert, they are not the same. You can write a retelling of either, but you do need to decide early on which one you are doing and stay consistent to it. I also think rereading the original story will remind you why you decided to write a retelling. Something about the story you loved so much you wanted to bring to a new audience or maybe something that felt unfinished or unanswered, and you just had to finish it and find the answered.

Notes, Notes, Notes

I love taking notes, and I think that especially when writing a retelling copious notes are your best friend. Unfortunately, you aren’t going to be able to fit everything into your retelling, but writing notes on the most important things in the original story will help you have a guiding light and keep you organized. I would definitely recommend that you make a list of characters and their roles in the story. Are you keeping the same protagonist? Do you want to write from the antagonists point of view? Or give a side character their time to shine? I would also make a list of all of the settings in the story. Decide whether or not you’re keeping the same setting or revamping it for your story. Finally, make a list of all the major plot points. You’ll probably add more plot points into your story, but making sure that you know and understand the major plot points in the original story will help you as you’re writing.

Inspired By or Retelling?

This may just be a personal nit-picky, schematic thing, but imo, a book can be inspired by something without being a retelling. Point and case being my favorite book to bash: A Court of Thorns and Roses. People have stopped leaning on this as much as they used too (mostly because ACOTAR has been rebranded as adult), but when it first came out ACOTAR was very much marketed as a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Me personally, I did not realize it was supposed to be a retelling until one of my friends told me after I had read it. Now, that either means that I have a poor level of reading comprehension or that the book is not a very good retelling. Obviously, I don’t like one of those answers, so let us presume that ACOTAR is not a very good retelling. I would say agree that elements of it are inspired by Beauty and the Beast, but I do not think that it is a retelling. SJM fails to keep many of the major themes and motifs of Beauty and the Beast which I think are necessary elements to qualify under the label retelling.

But What’s the Twist???

Don’t be afraid to take risks and try new things when you write a retelling! Just because you’re writing a retelling doesn’t mean that you aren’t writing a story in your voice and your style of writing. Stay true to yourself, so long as you treat the original story with respect. A lot of retellings either give the story a new protagonist, a new setting, or set the story in a completely different genre. To get yourself going here are are a few questions to ask yourself after you’ve finished rereading the original story help you figure out what the twist of your retelling is going to be.

Which of these characters do you feel curious about?

Which of these characters is the most hated / misunderstood?

Which of these characters could have the most interesting growth / character transformation through the course of this story?

How would this setting affect the protagonist and the other main characters?

How would this setting affect the major conflict of the story?

How would this setting affect the themes of the original story?

Which themes would be preserved and which themes would no longer feel relevant?

Elle’s Retelling Recommendations

And of course, I had to end this with a few retellings recommendations! Reading other retellings and seeing what other authors did well or not well is a great way to sharpen your own skills.

Daughters of Sparta by Claire Heywood

I actually really liked this book, but I think its because even though I like Greek mythology, I admittedly am not the most knowledgable on the subject. I know the basics of Greek mythology, but unless something was blatantly wrong, I wouldn’t be able to tell. Apparently, this book had a lot of important Greek mythology plot points missing, but I thought it told the stories of Helen and Klytemnestra very well!

Circe and The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

I first read Circe for school, but I went back and read it a year or two ago. I vastly prefer Circe to Song of Achilles as I didn’t really like SoA all that much, but both are definitely retelling masterclasses. Madeline Miller is definitely the Queen of Greek mythology retellings.

Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor

This is one of my favorite books ever! I loved the Great Gatsby, and I am a Daisy Buchanan apologist. I love that this book fleshes out all of the female characters from the Great Gatsby, gives them proper back stories and answers one of the biggest questions from the original novel.

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

This book is not the best book, and I only recommend it because it is in my opinion how not to do a retelling or even an inspired by book. My friend group was obsessed with this book in middle school, and the best way I can describe it is if Percy Jackson and Twilight had a baby. Take that as you will.

#retellings #writing retellings #writing retelling #plotting #plot structure #writing #writing tip #writing tips #writing resources #writing resource #writing reference #writing references #writersofig #writersofinstagram #writers of ig #writers of instagram

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voylitscope · 1 year

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Stucky Recs: Fairytales, Fae, and Magical Realism

I enjoy fairytale-style Stucky fics because they often involve Steve and Bucky's love for each other being able to do things like break curses and, as that's also the plot of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, it feels very fitting for them. (Curses, seventy years of Hydra mind control, whatever. It's the same principle.)

I wasn't going to do another rec post so soon, but then I thought aiming to get one out on the 10th made sense. So, some happily ever after recs, just for Bucky's birthday.

Note: As part of my personal campaign to combat the persistent idea that every great fic in this fandom was written in 2015, I'm now marking recs of fics written post-2016 and recs of fics written post-Endgame.

Fairytales

🏰Under One Small Star | notlucy | Teen | 50,923 words | *Post-2016 Rec*

In which the world tries to keep Steve and Bucky apart and fails miserably. Also, Steve gets a Cinderella moment. This fic is so, so lovely. There's magic and fairytale elements involved, but a lot of this is also just Steve and Bucky saving the day through their own determination, intelligence, goodness, and intense draw to each other. I'm very here for it.

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There is no such thing as love at first sight.

Before we continue, we must be perfectly clear on that matter. Love at first sight is balderdash—a silly, fanciful notion borne on children’s wishes and lies spun by unlucky dreamers.

However, love at hundredth sight? Thousandth? That, my darlings, is perfectly reasonable.

It was a lucky thing, then, that the young king and his pretend knight were more the latter than the former. Certainly, the king remembered none of those sights and the pretend knight only the most recent, but being as love ran truer than faded memories, what did it matter?

No, it was not first love that drew them together, neither was it mere infatuation that had them walking through the gardens, hand-in-hand, exchanging shy glances and secret smiles. It was old love, bone-deep and bound up in their very souls.

🏰A Marvelous Gift | biblionerd07 | Teen | 75,554 words

It's an Ella Enchanted AU! Well, it uses the magic, fairytale elements, and plot-defining curse itself from Ella Enchanted. The rest is primarily actual, reworked, canon plot points done in fairytale style. Steve and Bucky's relationship in this captures so many beats of canon, including the tragic ones, but there's an unbelievably well-deserved happy ending. Really beautifully done.

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"I’m going back to the Academy and I’m ripping the whole place down brick by brick.” Steve’s hand was warm against Bucky’s skin. It was strange, because all their lives Steve’s weak heart had meant his hands and feet were always cold. Now he was radiating heat even from a few inches away.

“Wasn’t the whole Academy’s fault,” Bucky told him, slightly hushed because his voice suddenly felt too loud for some reason.

“Anyone who knew what was happening and didn’t protect you helped hurt you.” Steve’s voice was soft, gentler than he usually was, and he was stroking his fingers up and down Bucky’s back. It made Bucky shiver a little, his stomach whirling the way it usually only did when he was disobeying an order. He couldn’t think what order he was forgetting about, though.

They stayed like that for a minute, looking at each other, and Bucky couldn’t figure out what this buzzing under his skin meant or why he was finding it hard to breathe. He finally swayed just a little and Steve frowned.

🏰 La Belle et la Bête | maichan, moonbooning, sirsable | Explicit | 66,720 words | *Post-2016 Rec* 🧚

This is both a Beauty and the Beast retelling, so a fairytale, and a story that relies on Fae lore, because things start off with Steve and Sarah in Ireland. It's straddling categories, here. A crucial early event of this fic involves Steve arguing with the fae. This is, of course, a terrible life plan, but it's also such a very Steve thing to do. I love it a lot. This fic also features a veteran Bucky who is doing his best and who will also do anything to help Becca. There's a slow burn, some ID porn, a lot of healing, and love overcoming seemingly impossible obstacles.

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He’s in trouble and he knows it, because already when he sees Bucky’s face in the morning, he finds himself thinking of returning to the garden and making the one small cut that will seal his fate. But he has no way to know how Bucky feels. If he might be open to the idea of love at all. Steve talks himself out of it constantly now, and then he starts all over again when he sees Bucky’s slate-blue eyes and thinks, Love is a leap of faith.

He thought he’d gotten used to the burden of the curse; accepted it, even. But now that he knows Bucky in both forms, there’s part of him that fights it. He wants to stay in a single body. Wants to offer Bucky an explanation and an entreaty. He wants to feel whole again—a single person can hope to be worthy of a man like Bucky, instead of the patchwork parody he’s become.

Stubbornness is writ in his bones, in his very soul. It’s not in his nature to give up—that’s what has kept him sane for the unnatural life he’s led so far. So he fights all of it, from the twilight transformations to the compulsions that lock away certain words, details, confessions.

Fae

🧚Under the Hawthorne Tree | odetteandodile | Explicit | 57,123 words | *Post-2016 Rec*

There is something that hits so right about an AU Steve and Bucky who are drawn to each other for reasons they don't fully understand at first but who, by the end of a few days, can't stop thinking about each other. Even when one of them is a fae whose life force is tied to a tree, and who has no memory of their life before they were part of the forest. Another story about these two overcoming the impossible.

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“I was human, once,” he says. His voice is soft, but the words still ring through Steve with the shock of a gunshot in the hushed clearing. Now Bucky’s eyes do slit open, long, dark lashes fanned low over his cheeks. “Before this, I think…I was a person.”

He lifts his eyes to Steve’s, and his face does something complicated that almost, maybe could be mistaken for an attempt at a smile—if only his eyes weren’t so unspeakably sad. His cheek twitches and he drops his gaze again, to somewhere around the hollow of Steve’s throat. He tips forward, just slightly, but Steve’s breath catches anyway. Bucky’s still not close enough to touch, though he’s curled in toward Steve now. Steve can see Bucky’s pulse jumping against the thin skin under his jaw, and his hands almost ache with the urge to press against it, to pull Bucky against his chest.

Instead he licks his lips, mouth unaccountably dry, to form the only question that comes to him.

“How do you know?”

🧚You are Light | AidaRonan | Explicit | 4,028 words | *Post Endgame Rec*

Technically, Steve is tagged as being a "forest deity" in fic, but I feel like it fits here. If, by the end of this fic, Bucky is Winter Soldier Bucky and Steve is pre-serum skinnny Steve (who is a forest deity) does that count as a shrinkyclinks? I have no idea. But whatever it counts as, it's terribly romantic.

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“You said you could feel me. You weren’t just saying what I wanted to hear?”

Steve smiles warmly and traces the line of Bucky’s jaw. “Of course you care about that and still have the nerve to think you’re not a good man.”

Bucky swallows.

“You should sleep though,” Steve says. “I’ve met two of your needs. Let me meet the rest.”

Bucky frowns and looks out the window, trying to gauge where the moon is at in the sky. What he really should do is get back. Wake up and get back.

“Time does what I need it to here. I’ll make sure you’re awake before it’s too late.”

“If you are real and this ain’t a dream, you’ll let me kiss you goodbye?”

Magical Realism

🪄69 Beans And a Cup of Magic | crinklefries | Teen | 28,070 words | *Post-2016 Recs*

This one is also a coffee shop fic! A modern skinny Steve is studying literal magic, often at Bucky's coffee shop. A lot of this fic involves Steve talking about magic to Bucky, and Bucky being like, "I have no idea what that means, and it was sort of a weird thing to say. But, damn, you're so cute I can't stand it." This fic is heartwarming, sweet, and charming. Everything you want from a coffee shop AU, plus magic!

Quote:

“Work what out?” Bucky grumbles. “The rules of arson?”

“I totally promise that I very likely won’t set your coffee shop on fire, Bucky,” Steve says. He sighs and removes some of the post-it notes from his person.

“How does one person have this many post-it notes anyway?” Bucky mumbles and reaches forward to help Steve.

His fingers brush against Steve’s hair as he removes a piece stuck to the top of his head and his heart beats a little faster in his chest once he realizes how soft it is. He goes back for another post-it note, careful to touch the hair again.

So soft, he marvels, while simultaneously glaring at Steve.

“I’m trying something,” Steve says. “It’s not going well.”

Steve puts his elbows up on the counter and rests his face on his palms. He looks so despondent and it’s so unreasonably cute that Bucky has to refrain from smiling.

🪄Wishes and Words | wearing_tearing | Explicit | 48,425 words

This fic is an absolute delight. Grumpy Bucky is just fine being a recluse in his cottage, okay? He's a bad person, anyway, and people should stay away from him. It's for the best, really. So maybe he saved that one guy's life last night, whatever, no big deal. Oh, was that guy the prince? The weirdly persistent prince who keeps showing up at Bucky's door to try and express his gratitude, for the whole, saved-his-life, thing? The oddly sincere, blue-eyed, prince who keeps bringing presents because he really wants Bucky to know how grateful he is? Look, Prince Steve just wants to thank Bucky, okay? Seriously, this fic is so ridiculously cute.

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It looks like the easier way to deal with this is just to accept whatever he’s brought with him. Bucky could use new tools, that he knows, and the prospect of having the Prince leave him alone after he accepts them is just an added incentive. He can thank the man for this small kindness, and then never see him again.

Finally.

Bucky regards the Prince for a few more seconds, just for the pleasure of watching him squirm. Then, in his best dignified voice, the one learned when the King ruling him was nothing more than a tyrant and a murderer, he speaks.

“Thank you,” Bucky says, and then adds, with every ounce of respect he can muster, “Your Highness.”

It is worth it, although Bucky does his best to ignore it, for the grin that takes over Prince Steven’s face. It is bright and bold and happy, and a little bit blinding under the light of the sun.

🪄 Heirloom | 2bestfriends | Explicit | 21,734 words | **Post-Endgame Rec**

The thing about fairytale, fae, and magic AUs, is that Bucky does tend to go through terrible things in them. Which, of course, is canon, and does happen in a lot of other AUs too, but fairytale-style AUs are a perfect place for curses/magic to work as a stand-in plot point for Hydra-related Bucky things. And for Steve and Bucky's love to break those curses. At least in this fic, when Bucky is cursed, blackmailed, and forced into an arranged marriage with someone he sure is going to hate him and have no problem demonstrating it, that person turns out to be, well, Steve. So really, things are looking up from the start.

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Steve’s heart sinks. Bucky has had to leave his home, to uproot his life and come to live in a completely unfamiliar country, with no support from his family, all of whom are dead or missing. How would Steve feel, if their positions were reversed?

"I hope that you will be comfortable here," Steve says quietly. He hesitates, then offers, "I know this can't be easy."

Some switch seems to flip, and that flirtatious personality returns, Bucky winking lasciviously at Steve. "But I definitely am,” he laughs, a slight edge to it, and then helps himself to a roll from the basket, the thin gold band around his wrist reflecting the candlelight and catching Steve’s attention again. "You've been exceptionally charming, Steve. I have no doubt I'll be very comfortable here with you."

Steve takes a deep breath and butters his own roll.

It's going to take some work to get to know the actual Bucky hidden beneath this mask, he thinks. "Tomorrow, the ceremony will likely take most of the morning, and then the celebrations will be expected to fill the rest of the day. In the evening, we'll leave together."

Bonus!

💮listen to your heart (don't say goodbye to me) | CinnamonCake | Explicit | 9,834 words

Greek mythology can't really be classed a fairytale, and magic doesn't feel like the right word for anything that happens, either. That said, I have no idea what other rec list I'd possibly put this fic on. So, I'm throwing it onto the end of this one — Stucky Hades and Persephone. Because, these two creating seasons so they can be together, seems fitting.

Quote:

"Don't," Bucky says, panic etching his words, and Steve looks up at him, confused frown on his face. "Don't touch the water. Don't eat the food. That's for them, not for us."

"What would happen if I did?" Steve asks, but he gets up and takes a step back and Bucky can’t help but curl his fingers protectively around his wrist .

"You'd be damned to this world."

Steve closes the gap between them and his lips graze Bucky's. "Would it be that bad? For me to be here forever?"

Bucky takes a deep breath, taking in the scent and warmth of Steve so close to him, so foreign in this place. He still wakes up in the middle of the night afraid he’ll turn to find Steve cold next to him, skin and eyelashes powdered with the ashes of funeral pyres. Only when he puts his lips to Steve’s wrist and feels the pulse there, the quiet beat of it against his skin, does he close his eyes again.

"Not like that," Bucky says and touches Steve's cheek until Steve looks at him. "Not because you were forced to."

(Additional bonus!

So, As I was creating this list, @raven-writes-fanfic posted this fic: The Tale of Prince Steven of Avalon. I haven't read this yet, but I am incredibly excited about it. It is inspired by this Irish Folktale, that I once posted about because it is so very perfect for Steve and Bucky.)

Fic Rec Series

#SteveBucky #stucky fic #stucky fic recs #fic rec series #me rambling about other people's writing

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princesssarisa · 9 months

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Comments about "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" that can and should coexist

I think these comments address every feminist complaint I've ever read about the 1937 Disney classic, though I don't know if they'll all be "addressed" in the live-action remake or not.

"It's an old-fashioned convention for a fictional young girl's dreams to revolve around romance, based in the outdated, patriarchal idea that love and marriage are what female lives 'naturally' revolve around and should revolve around. It's only appropriate that more 'modern,' 'feminist' heroines have different wishes and goals."

and

"For a lonely, abused orphan like Snow White, whose only apparent friends at the beginning are birds, it's perfectly natural that she should dream of love."

"Love at First Sight isn't realistic, to portray it in modern media is out of fashion, and in real life, it would be ridiculous at best and disturbing at worst for a young man to just notice a pretty girl singing alone in a courtyard and promptly climb over the wall and sing a love song to her."

and

"Love at First Sight is a storytelling convention, and children can see it in fairy tales without assuming it's real. It won't make your daughter instantly run off with a cute stranger. Snow White and the Prince's romance isn't meant to be realistic – it's a simple, old-fashioned, idealized Romeo and Juliet-style romance, and we should feel free to enjoy it as such."

"Modern feminism doesn't like damsels in distress. It's only natural that in today's media, heroines should show more strength in the face of danger than they did in 1930s media."

and

"It's perfectly natural for Snow White to be petrified with fear when the Huntsman is about to kill her – instead of, say, trying to fight back – and frantic with terror as she runs through the dark forest. Not because 'girls are weak,' but because she's so young. A boy in the same situation would have just as much right to be terrified. Besides, after her initial terror passes, she proves remarkably resilient as she comforts herself by befriending the animals and singing a song. Not all strength looks 'tough,' after all."

"The original Grimms' tale and the 1937 film's emphasis on Snow White's cleaning and cooking reflects an outdated, patriarchal model of ideal femininity. It's probably best for a modern retelling to at least slightly downplay it, or omit it altogether."

and

"There's absolutely nothing wrong with having a nurturing personality and favoring domestic skills, regardless of gender. It's perfectly fine that as an individual, Snow White enjoys cooking and uses songs and imagination to make housework fun. Especially because of the Cinderella-like life her stepmother forced her into – domestic work is the main skill that she's learned, and it's all she has to offer the dwarfs in exchange for staying in their house."

"The 1937 Snow White is a bit too much of a 'mother hen' to the dwarfs, in a way that arguably borders on ableism. In a modern reimagining, she should remember that they're her elders, not children, and give them due respect."

and

"It's endearing to watch Snow White cajole, gently scold, and tease the dwarfs, and to gain power over a household of seven men in her own soft way."

"As the Queen's only (step)child, Snow White is presumably the heir to the throne. Retellings focuses on her coming into her own as a leader, leading a rebellion against the Queen, and finally becoming queen herself in the end are valid. So are retellings where the Queen is only Snow White's regent and wants to kill her not just for her beauty, but to keep the throne for herself."

and

"Snow White doesn't need to be a leader and her storyline doesn't need to be political in any way. That's not what the tale is about."

"Someday My Prince Will Come isn't a modern feminist song, just like I'm Wishing isn't one. It's out of fashion for a heroine's dreams to revolve around romantic love. The emphasis on the Prince coming to Snow White also places her in a passive role, rather than letting her be active like a more modern heroine and search for him."

and

"Someday My Prince Will Come gets a bad rap. Snow White isn't fantasizing about a prince she's never met. She loves him already, and is singing of her undying hope that they'll meet again, even though it seems unlikely that they will. Nor does she center her whole life around her dreams of him. Apart from the song and her wish on the "wishing apple," she never even mentions him after their meeting: as much as she loves him, she doesn't waste time pining for him, but moves on with her life while holding onto her faith that they'll reunite. Nor can she go looking for him herself, because she's in hiding from the Queen, so of course she dreams that he'll come to her."

"Snow White is painfully naïve to trust the Witch, and to let her in the house and take food from her despite having been warned repeatedly to beware of strangers. This earns her no points as a role model. It's no wonder that modern adaptations tend to make her 'smarter,' and either (a) have the Queen take the shape of someone she already knows and trusts, or (b) have her know the apple is poisoned, but eat it as a self-sacrifice to save the dwarfs' lives or some such thing, or (c) rewrite the story's climax to cut the poisoning altogether."

and

"Snow White isn't stupid, she's just naïve because she's young, and the Witch takes advantage of her kindness and her love. Despite knowing better, she can't bear to refuse a frail old woman's pleas to let her rest in the house. Then when she's told that the apple grants wishes and will bring the Prince to her, when she's been dreaming of him so ardently and still has no way of knowing if they'll meet again, she can't resist. It's a fatal mistake, but aren't heroines allowed to make mistakes? Must she be a role model in every moment? Why can't it be poignant that the Witch takes advantage of her youthful innocence and tender heart to mislead her?"

"The trope of the male hero saving the heroine was overused and outdated long ago. It makes sense for a modern retelling of Snow White to find some way or other for Snow White to save herself."

and

"The Prince waking Snow White isn't a particularly glaring case of 'boy rescues girl.' It's just a matter of love conquering evil. The Prince doesn't do any 'manly' act of heroism; all he does is give Snow White a kiss that he doesn't even know will revive her."

"The Prince kissing the seemingly-dead Snow White's lips has earned so much controversy over the years that it should be no surprise when modern retellings avoid it."

and

"The Prince's kiss isn't 'necrophilia' or 'non-consensual.' He's just giving his 'dead' beloved a sad, affectionate farewell. In later movies, is Belle being 'necrophiliac' or 'non-consensual' when she lays her head on the Beast's lifeless chest while declaring her love, or is Elsa when she hugs Anna's ice statue form in grief? This is no different."

"The Queen can be seen as a misogynistic figure, first of all by vilifying a woman in power, secondly because petty vanity is her motive, and any possible sympathetic explanation for why she's so desperate to be the fairest in the land (e.g. because society ties women's worth too much to their beauty) is ignored. It's understandable that a modern retelling should try to make her a more nuanced figure."

and

"The Queen is still one of Disney's most terrifying villains, despite being the first. She doesn't need more 'depth' or 'nuance' to be an outstanding character."

"Snow White is a passive character in both the original Grimms' tale and the Disney film. She's defined more by what happens to her and how other people feel about her than by anything she does. So of course modern retellings will tend to find ways to make her a more active player and give her more agency."

and

"A character doesn't need to be 'active' or have constant 'agency' to be a good character. We push for heroines to have 'agency' because women have too often been forced to be passive and rely on men, but for an individual character, in and of herself, 'active' doesn't need to be the rule. In the Grimms' tale, Snow White is passive because she's more of a symbol of youth and beauty than a real person: the real (villain) protagonist is the Queen. And in the Disney film, where Snow White is more of a person and more clearly the protagonist, what she does is be warm, friendly, and full of life and joy. In this way she earns others' love, and love saves her life. For some of us, this is wish-fulfillment and central to the story's appeal. Snow White is threatened with the Queen's terrible hatred, but just by being herself she earns a bounty of love, and love proves stronger than hate."

#disney #snow white and the seven dwarfs #snow white #feminism #commentary #defense

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melanielocke · 2 years

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Book recommendations - Queer POC books

Some more book recommendations, this time I'm focusing on Queer PoC books, all by authors of color. All the books shown in the picture are UK editions. I generally like it when books have a UK paperback edition because they're a lot cheaper than US hardcovers, usually also cheaper than US paperbacks, and release the same week as the US hardcover. I don't think these editions are always available if you live in North America, but to those living in Europe, buying UK editions can save you a lot of money. Other parts of the world I honestly don't know which editions are easiest to come by. Only downside for UK editions is that sometimes there are some with a redesigned cover that is very ugly. Of the books shown here, only the Witchery has a different cover than the US edition but in this case I like both.

Starting with this Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

This is a duology, the second and last book was released last June and so this is a complete series. It is inspired by Greek mythology, and specifically, the myth of Medea, and follows Briseis, who was adopted and inherits an estate from her aunt whom she never met. Briseis has always been able to make plants grow, and is immune to poisonous plants, and at the estate she discovers her birth family had these same gifts, and they keep a garden with some of the most poisonous plants in the world. This book has some great characters, and Briseis was adopted and raised by two sapphic Black mothers, who also play a big role in this series. This series has also served as inspiration for the Lightwood's magic garden in Flowers Bloom

Also by this author: Cinderella is Dead, which I'd also recommend, the Vanquishers, a MG which I did not read

Upcoming books: My Dear Henry, a Jekyll & Hide retelling (3-2023); You're not Supposed to Die Tonight, a slasher horror (6-2023)

Next up is Afterlove by Tanya Byrne

This is a sapphic love story with a MC of Indian decent. At New Years's Eve, just before midnight, Ash is hit by a car and dies instantly. She gets the offer to become a reaper, who guide the city's dead to their afterlife. But Ash can't forget Poppy, her girlfriend, and will do anything to get to see her again.

I haven't seen a lot of people talk about this book, but I really enjoyed it. The main focus is the romance here, and it's more romance with a fantasy aspect to it than fantasy.

Other books by this author: there are several other older books, none of which I've read

Upcoming books: The Mermaid of Black Rock (9-2023), a sapphic book about a girl with no memory found in the sea and a girl who falls in love with her

The Jasmine Throne is the only adult series I put in this list (the rest is YA), and is a fantasy trilogy set in an India inspired world. Book 1 and 2 are out now.

Malini is a princess who is imprisoned in an old temple by her dictator brother, an emperor obsessed with religious ideas revolving women gaining purity and immortality by being burnt alive. Malini refused to burn for his sake.

Priya is a maidservant who travels to the temple every night to clean Malini's chambers. Before her land was conquered by Malini's family, Priya was a temple child, and she had passed through the magical deathless waters once, but all the temple children were murdered except a few who survived and she has to hide her past.

Malini and Priya eventually start working together, with the goal of restoring the throne to Malini's other, oldest brother who'd abandoned the throne to become a priest.

Other books by this author: The Books of Ambha duology, adult fantasy, and What Souls are Made of, a YA Wuthering Heights retelling

Upcoming books: Book 3 of the series, scheduled for 2023, currently no release date known

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas is one of my personal favorites of this year. It's the first book in a YA fantasy duology set in a world inspired by Mexican culture. In this world, the sunbearer trials are held every ten years to replenish the energy of the sol stones and keep the sun alive and evil gods at bay. Ten demigods (called semidioses) are chosen by Sol to compete in a set of trials. The winner becomes the Sunbearer and gets to replenish the sol stones. The loser becomes a human sacrifice that is necessary to replenish said stones.

Semidioses are divided in gold and jade categories, depending on if their parent is a gold or jade god. Gold gods are the most powerful gods, ruling over things like the earth, the seas, fire etc, while jade gods are considered less powerful and their children too. There haven't been any jade competitors in the Sunbearer trials in over a century, but that year, two are chosen.

Teo is the transgender son of Quetzal, the goddess of birds, and he never expected to be chosen for the trials. The other jade is Xio, the son of Mala Suerte, god of bad luck. The other 8 competitors are all gold semidioses, including Teo's best friend Niya, daughter of Tierra, god of the Earth and the twin children of the fire goddess, Aurelio and Auristela. Compared to many of the others, Teo does not have a lot of powers and will have to fight with everything he has to survive.

The fantasy world in this book is modern second world, so while everything is different from this world, there are equivalents of instagram and tiktok for example, and they have trading cards featuring different semidiose heroes.

Other books by the author: Cemetery Boys, Lost in the Never Woods, I've read both and they're very good

Upcoming books: book 2 of the sunbearer trials (expected in 2023), companion/sequel to Cemetery Boys (fall 2024), untitled book pitched as gay titanic in space (2024), Just Max (a contemporary set in college, 2024).

I don't think it's likely there'll be 3 books coming out in 2024 but that's the information I currently have

The last book in the picture is the Witchery by S. Isabelle

This book features four witches and two human boys. Logan only recently found out she's a witch and transferred to a school for witches, and so far she's no good at it. But she's taken under the wing by the Red Three, three Black witches and the most powerful witches at the school. Thalia, a greenwitch, Iris, a deathwitch and Jailah, the most powerful witch at school, want to end the curse that's plaguing their town, and want Logan's help to do it.

Every year, there's a Haunting Season during which wolves come out of the swamp and kill people. The witches can protect people, to some extent, but the Red Three want to end the Haunting Season once and for all.

This book has a total of 6 POV's, which can make it confusing but I think it worked well. All the characters were interesting, but there wasn't enough space to flesh them all out as much as I would have liked. Still, I think the story was great, and would recommend it. There's not much focus on romance, but Jailah is a lesbian which is why I included it on this list.

Other books by this author: The Witchery is her first book

Upcoming books: another book is expected to be released in 2023. I have no idea what this book is about

Let me know if there are specific recommendations you'd like me to cover next time, I think I'll make more posts like these because it's lots of fun. Also, if you've read any of the books I recommend and want to talk about it, let me know, because I don't have a lot of people to talk about my favorite books with

@alastaircarstairsdefenselawyer @life-through-the-eyes-of @astriefer @justanormaldemon @ipromiseiwillwrite @a-dream-dirty-and-bruised @amchara @all-for-the-fanfiction @imsoftforthomastair @ddepressedbookworm @queenlilith43 @wagner-fell @cant-think-of-anything @laylax13s @tessherongraystairs @boredfangirl16 @artist-in-soul @bottomdelioncourt @ikissedsmithparker

#book recommendations #queer books #poc books #qpoc books #This Poison Heart #This Wicked Fate #Kalynn Bayron #The Jasmine Throne #the Oleander Sword #Tasha Suri #The Witchery #S Isabelle #the Sunbearer Trials #Aiden Thomas #Afterlove #Tanya Byrne

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demeterdefence · 3 months

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Previous anon here:

Hmm agreed, it's not JUST her fault but it sucks that our current cultural landscape keeps falling into the same trap of trying to make something woke, feminist, progressive, what have you but winds up so much worse instead

It's the same issue with the disney remakes, failing so hard to update the story when its original incarnation was more feminist without even trying. For example: I know a lot of people love the 2015 remake of Cinderella, and I've seen people say it's the best live-action adaptation but I will NEVER forget that, while the movie hammers home the lesson "be kind, always" they had the nerve to insert a line that says something like: It's a good thing Cinderella's stepmother was cruel, because otherwise she never would've met the prince and like EXCUSE ME?!

I think MOST people would rather have a safe home-environment where you weren't bullied, demeaned, and forced to work over the vague possibility of a special someone coming to rescue me from this situation...

Anyway this was about lore olympus... XD

i think you have a really valid point! and it circles back to how rachel is just one of many people who insists on a flawed perception of something, thinking it's "better" because it's "modern"

like with rachel's lolita fetish or the gross racism within lore olympus, this really does speak to a wider issue - the fact that webtoons promotes the content and publishes it to such a wide audience, who is so often comprised of younger teens who don't yet realize why this is an issue. i can only imagine ancient greek women who adored the hymn of demeter, finding out that modern times vilifies her and glorifies persephone's kidnapping as some kind of romance. and there are ways to portray things in a modern setting, or to create romance in a story that is more or less devoid of it; the trick is, you need to know the originals to make a retelling. one of my favourite movies is disney's hercules, which is so far from the original lore of heracles it's pretty much an entirely separate story - but it's done with such love and so many nods to the canon myth that you can acknowledge this is an offshoot inspired by the myths.

rachel's comic is just so utterly devoid of any kind of love for the original myths and legends. she uses such surface-level interpretations of the characters that removes any complexity from their motivations, and thus the story as a whole. hades and persephone are given depth, supposedly, but zeus being forced to kill his own father, or why he's a sex addict, gets thrown into the trash for cheap shots. demeter's trauma in being made for war, watching her sister torn apart, watching her mother killed, sexually abused by two of her friends, and abused / vilified by hades for centuries, who then goes on to marry her teenage daughter, is tossed away for demeter to be "overbearing mom eugh."

like, rachel wants all the modern glitz and glam of the modern era, but that's it. she does not want to tell a story - she wants to draw her ocs in hot clothes having bad sex.

#answered #anti lo #anti lore olympus #i am a FIRM believer than myths and legends can be retold in modern context #and i've personally read some absolutely stellar modern retellings!#rachel is not one of them lol

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eyeforabargain · 1 year

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how do you feel about the new live action remake? a lot of people are saying melissa and halle are better than original you and ariel and people are starting to forget about the animated

//I had Ursula answer a question about Melissa in character a few posts back, so I'm gonna answer this one with my own opinion, and then I'm not touching this movie ever again.

I personally gave up on Disney live action remakes a while ago. Up through the 2019 Lion King, I tried to watch them all so that I could "keep up" and have an "informed opinion" with which to critique them. However, I realized after Aladdin and The Lion King were so demoralizingly bad that I was basically force feeding myself content that brought me no joy and just made me feel bad inside. It wasn't healthy, it wasn't worth my time or money, and tbh I know enough to have an informed opinion about any Disney live action remake without engaging with it.

So all that to say that I have not watched the live action Little Mermaid and I will not be watching it either. I've heard bad to mediocre things about it from trusted people I know who have seen it. From the clips I've seen on YouTube and my TikTok fyp, Melissa McCarthy BUTCHERED Ursula and Halle Bailey seems like she's just there for exposure to launch her singing career rather than actually being a decent actress with any investment in the character. The things they kept in the remake sound like they were done shoddily compared to the original, and the things they added (like the siren voice thing and the Awkwafina Scuttle song) were bad ideas from the word GO.

And that's the thing about these live action remakes - they're always every single time a mediocre retelling of a much better animated movie that rips off the older film while also simultaneously being shady and taking shots at the originals based on dumb internet nitpicks people had. That's all of them, and from everything I've seen and heard, that was this movie too. I know people wanted this one to be better and different because it had diverse casting and good representation. However, I think people went to bat for it for understandable political reasons without waiting to see the quality of the film and now that it's out and it's doing the exact same mediocre shit that the other live action remakes did, everyone is trying to bend over backwards to create a narrative about it being the huge success and big moment for representation that they thought it would be based on the casting. But there's only so much mileage that has before the recency bias fades away, and quite frankly, even if "representation" is the only end goal, we deserve better representation than this.

So I don't think this movie is ever going to replace the original or that people are going to forget about the original. It's just brand new right now and Disney's pouring millions into marketing this movie right now, but ultimately we know the fate of this movie because we've seen the fate of 2015 Cinderella, 2017 Beauty and the Beast, 2019 Aladdin, 2019 The Lion King, 2020 Mulan, and so on - they have their moment, they fade out in a few months, people forget about them, and Disney goes right back to promoting the animated line up. This one might hold on a BIT longer because it makes Disney look better in the Representation Matters department, but tbh I don't think it'll last for much longer either.

Jodi Benson IS Ariel. Pat Carroll IS Ursula. They originated those roles, and nothing will ever take that away. Halle and Melissa are just their sloppy seconds, unfortunately. And at the end of the day, I'm a firm believer in Walt Disney's ethos of "quality will win out." This soulless cash grab of a movie won't be the last one standing no matter how much money Disney throws at it.

#The Little Mermaid #anti tlm 2023 #anti melissa mccarthy #anti halle bailey #anti the little mermaid 2023 #Up on land it's much preferred {ooc}

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triple-7-heaven · 2 years

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Kill Switch - Interlude

a/n: had fun writing this little bit from lip's perspective, doesn't add any new events just a retelling of the story so far from her side; i enjoy perspective changes in my personal stories and drafts, hope you can enjoy too! the real next part is about half done and i'm off tomorrow so i'll probably have time to finish it :-) part 1 part 2 pairing: reader x kim lip; words: 1.7k ; categories: loona, kim lip, reader insert

Where is my mind?

On him. The stranger I rode with that night. It’s not rare to see another rider in these streets, but… He caught my eye. Even from far away. I’m not sure if it’s because I’d never seen him before, or because of his… Looks. The all-black sportbike, purring loud enough to let me know something illegal was going on inside of it. Those broad shoulders underneath a black textile jacket. And the matte black helmet and visor that hid his face for those few short moments before I finally saw him smiling at me. I thought it would be fun to play with him a bit. I watched him set his hands back on the grips, and when I knew he wasn’t looking, I tapped his kill switch, and left him behind.

Come on, play with me, play with me…

Thankfully, he did. Chasing me down, screeching to a stop beside me at the next red light. My heart stopped when I saw his face. I don’t know what I was expecting, but… It wasn’t that. Just my type, pretty eyes, a cute laugh.

"Haven't seen you around before," he said, a bit out of breath. It was true, as I’d never seen him either.

"Maybe I'm too fast for you," I said after thinking for a second. What a stupid, snarky thing to say…

"Don't you get away from me before I can even ask your name," he said. The tone of his voice was hot when he said it. He revved a little when the light turned yellow.

"That just makes me want to even more," I said. I didn’t mean it. Or maybe I did. We rode together at breakneck speeds for a long stretch, and the whole time, I thought about what to do next.

I’m not really supposed to date, I guess I shouldn’t… But I want to. It can’t be that hard to keep a secret, right? No, it’s not worth it. I don’t even know him, what if he’s a weirdo? But he’s so cute… Dammit.

I made the decision to lose him in the side streets. Knowing my bike could turn more sharply than his, I veered off to the right. I felt a pang in my chest when I saw him trying to search for me, but all I could do was head home.

I came to regret it. In my free time, I searched for him. I figured if nothing else, we could be friends. But I should’ve known that wouldn’t be good enough. I imagined how his body looked underneath that jacket. I imagined how his hands, hardened by track riding and mechanic’s work, would feel moving down my body. I imagined how he’d see me, love me, instead of my idol’s image, how he’d care about me, take me to dinner, go on rides with me, come home with me… Okay, I got a little out of control. I constructed a perfect image of him in my head, created this man that I’d always wanted, packaged in the body of the man I saw that night. We all get out of control, I think, when we think we’ve gotten lucky.

But time passed, and I still didn’t find him. I was terrified I’d lost him for good. I sulked. I rode the speed limit and didn’t take any fun, tight turns anymore. My fantasy continued as I pictured him searching for me, too; his moto-cinderella. Turns out it wasn’t a fantasy, and he found me after all. I took him to the prettiest place I could think of, so that maybe he would make a move on me there and create a good memory.

"You caught me," I said. ‘Caught,’ like I was trying to hide, or something.

"Finally. Where have you been? Haven't seen you in a month," he said.

"What do you mean where have I been? You've been looking?" I teased. It made me feel so good to know he was thinking of me the whole time too. I couldn’t let him know I was searching so desperately for him, could I? He’d think it was weird.

"Well, no. I don't know. I go to that café a lot, the one you passed earlier, and I just figured you passed by there a lot, so I thought it was weird that I hadn't seen you," he said, exasperated. It was cute to see him stutter. Did I really make him that nervous?

"I do, I always go by right after work. Maybe you're there at a different time?" I said. I took my jacket off to feel the cool nighttime air.

"Before I lose you again, for the love of God, tell me your name," he said.

"Jungeun. Kim Jungeun," I said. He seemed relieved to hear it.

"I can't lie to you, Jungeun... I have been looking for you. Ever since that one night. I know it's weird, but... I don't know. You're beautiful," he said abruptly. The blush on his face told me he regretted saying that much. I wordlessly passed him my phone to give me his KaTalk. I hoped he’d take the hint.

"I don't wanna keep you, it's getting late," I said. I looked at him expectantly, but he cast his glance away. He was fidgeting with his hands the whole time.

"Got work tomorrow... What about you?" he asked.

"Yeah, wish I didn't," I sighed. I curled up on the bench and yawned.

"What do you say we do something afterwards, then? It'll be Friday night, after all," he said. Perfect..!

"That sounds pretty good to me. You'll message me?" I said. All according to plan. Well, except for the part where he was supposed to kiss me and confess his undying love for me. That could be rescheduled. He gave me a nod and a cute smile, so I headed out.

Our first time hanging out was great. He did take me to dinner… We talked for hours and hours, and he shaped up to be exactly what I hoped for. He was just so shy. No matter how many signs I gave him, he never made any moves, not even holding my hand or kissing my cheek. I thought maybe it would happen when he took me back to his garage: still no. I thought it would happen when we watched a movie that following Sunday, but he seemed tense and nervous.

And then I kind of… Accidentally ghosted him? I was slammed with so much work at one time, I could hardly find time to eat and sleep, let alone text my mysterious motorcycle-riding love interest. I felt awful about it, but every time I caught a break, all I could do was fall asleep.

It was Friday night, and I had some time off. So I went out with my friends, bar hopping and forgetting about the week behind me, even forgetting about him after I got drunk enough. Some asshole guy from Hongdae stuck himself to my friend group, and my friends let it slide since they thought he was cute. He was particularly interested in me, talking to me when I clearly wasn’t listening, buying my drinks when I didn’t ask, then even touching me when I didn’t initiate it. I laughed along; why ruin the night for my friends by freaking out about something so small, right? As he pulled me into the next bar, I swear I saw him, my rider boy. My heart hurt. My head hurt. Everything hurt. I felt disgusting, like I was cheating on someone who I didn’t even belong to. I hoped to God it wasn’t him. But from the front of the bar near the open windows, I heard that engine, and a lump formed in my throat.

“Jane, I think… I think I’m gonna head home,” I yelled over the noise and music, hoping my friend wouldn’t press me for more details, or press me to stay.

“You okay?” she asked and stroked my arm. I just nodded, and quickly found a taxi on my phone before nearly running away from the bar.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

Did I just ruin it? Would he ever talk to me again? Fuck. The taxi driver was silent and I was too. As soon as the door to my apartment shut behind me, I burst into tears. My body felt filthy with that drunk asshole’s handprints all over it, but I couldn’t hardly enter the bathroom; I couldn’t bear to look at myself. After some hours of lying on the bathroom floor, I could finally take a deep breath without shaking. I pulled my phone out of my jeans, bunched up in a pile on the floor, and tapped on his name.

[01:34]

jungeuniiie: sorry, busy week... was out with my friends tonight, i feel bad for answering so late! :-/

God, I hope he answers.

chickenstripper97: oh no problem haha

jungeuniiie: maybe we could hang out tomorrow night?

He sounded different. He must have seen me… Would it be too bold to ask him to hang out so soon?

chickenstripper97: ohh actually having a rough time lately, probably gonna stay in

jungeuniiie: oh okay, no problem. hope you feel better :-(

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. It was my fault. He was probably down and out because of what he saw. I never wanted him to feel like I didn’t want him, because I did. I wanted to know him, to figure him out, to learn who he was below the surface. I had to show him I cared somehow.

So the following day, I put together a small care package for him. It wasn’t much, just some snacks, but… I hoped it would give me an excuse to see him. I still had his address in my navigation history, so I plugged it in and took the short ride over that night. Was that creepy? Probably not. I knocked, but no answer. Maybe he was out riding or at the gym; he looked like he’d go to the gym. I left it there for him with a note so he knew it was from me.

I want to love him. I want him to love me. Is it too soon to say that? Is it unwise to say such a thing about someone I don’t really know? Maybe if I took a chance, maybe if I listened to my intuition for once, instead of squeezing my eyes shut and waiting for the fear of rejection to pass, I could be happy. I just want to know what he’s thinking, but I bet he does, too. Why can’t we be more honest..?

#loona x reader #loona x male reader #kpop fanfic #loona #loona fanfiction #motorcycle kim lip #kim lip x reader #kim lip

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ginger-snaps014 · 9 months

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I recently posted a defense of Snow White after all the live action controversy, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the other Disney Princesses that face similar pop-feminist treat. As such, here is my defense for my childhood favorite, Cinderella. Ps sorry for the long post, but she’s my favorite. Also, TRIGGER WARNING - I put the domestic abuse items at the bottoms as number 7, but it referenced throughout.

1. Timeless and Universal Story

For those of you who are unaware, Cinderella is not only iconic as a Disney princess, but a version of her story exists in most parts of the world. In Egypt, you have the story of a Rhodopis (written between 64 BC and 24 AD). In China, there is the story of Ye Xian which dates back to 860 CE. The Malay-Indonesian people have the tale of Bawang Putih Bawang Merah (the swing version). The Vietnamese have Tam Cam. The Algonquin Indians of North America have "The Rough-Face Girl." In Germany, the Grimm brothers published "Aschenputtel" in 1812. The English have “Tattercoats”. The Russians have Vasilisa the Brave, or Beautiful, or Wise, or Fair… she is too popular for a single name. In Italy, there is Basile’s Cenerentola (published 1964). There is the French Cendrillon by Perrault (published 1967) (this is the one that the Disney version is based on). And in America, the iconic retelling is Disney’s version from 1950.

I’m sure there are more retellings by different countries. These are just the ones I remember and could quickly find. These are also limited to (i) the most known versions for each area, (ii) female protagonists, and (iii) instances where the happy ever after includes marriage to a man of wealth and standing. There are many others versions which do not include these points. After all, the base Cinderella story arc is simple: (i) protagonist in a good position that reflects a culture’s values; (ii) protagonist falls due to an injustice and loses one or several of the the following: family, wealth, status, looks, etc.; (iii) despite the fall, the protagonist keeps the values appreciated by the culture; (iv) an outside source comes to the protagonist’s aid and provides advise or items; and (v) thanks to the combination of protagonist’s values and the advise/items, the protagonist lives happily ever after in a secure position that is equal or better than where they started. When dealing with the classic Cinderella, the fall should occur in the domestic sphere with a personal transformation occurring after the fall, and security is reached when a female protagonist can leave the abusive environment permanently. Because this is a defense of Disney’s Cinderella in particular, I’m going to focus on that Film in an American context.

2. Femininity as a Neutral

While pop feminist like to point out that Cinderella is shown doing primarily domestic (aka historically feminine) work, needs a pair of heels to change her life and is saved by a prince, they never dive deeper into their arguments. At the end of the day, traditional femininity is a mixed bag in this film.

A. Domestic Labor

Yes, Cindy is shown doing domestic labor. However, that domestic labor is shown in a negative light. She’s is in rags, worn out, and trapped. Domestic labor is not painted as something good. It is part of the representation of the abuse she suffers. The most artistic image of this labor occurs while Cinderella sings with the soap bubbles. That song is immediately followed up by the cat Lucifer destroying her work. Showing the endless and thankless nature of domestic labor.

B. Makeover

The heels are magic and part of her transformation. They are shown as “good” because of what they give her (i.e. the ability to go to the ball and the ability to prove her identity). Her makeover does not occur in a vacuum. We see Cinderella admire her own reflection in the movie multiple times (while in rags and transformed). We see her fawn over her mother’s dress and enjoy feminine things. She is not forced to give up her identity conform to the femininity those around her want her to have. She is given an opportunity to be herself. She is the girl who like ballgowns. She is the girl who enjoys shoes. The clothing is her expression. Not her cage. If Cinderella did not like such things, her fairy godmother would not have forced her to wear them. Forced femininity is wrong. So is hating on femininity for existing. And hating those (of any gender) that enjoy it.

C. Prince as a Symbol

Yes Disney’s Cinderella’s happy ending comes with a man, but he is not the point of the ending. If you ever noticed how underdeveloped the prince is, you are not alone. Because the prince is a symbol of Cinderella’s dream rather than a well rounded character.

In the movie, the ball is set up last minute. From the moment of the king’s decision to host the ball to Cinderella’s midnight run, not even 24 hours have passed. If Cinderella had been only been dreaming of a ball and prince for the entire film, how could she be singing about that particular dream in the beginning of the movie. The ball has not even been planned. She can’t have. Her dreams referenced in “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” must then be about something else. Looking at the context of the story, we know it takes place in a capitalist, patriarchal, hierarchical society based loosely off 1800’s France. In a capitalist country, financial security comes from riches (like in the royal treasury). Hierarchical status come from high standing (like royalty). Female success in a patriarchy often equates to marriage. Cinderella was only taken care of and protected while someone who loved her was alive (her father). She knows the mere fact a person has a duty to take care of and protect her (the stepmother) is not enough. As such, Cindy would find love, not a contract marriage, more secure. At the ball, Cinderella does not even realize it’s the prince she dances the night away with. She learns after the fact.

And what is her happily ever after? A prince who loves her, marries her, raises her social standing, and provides financial security. He is the embodiment of love and safety in the society of the story. Is it wrong to dream about love and safety when your life is miserable due to the lack of both? Heck, I’m not in her situation, and I still dream of love and security.

D. The Stepsisters

Like Cinderella, her stepfamily enjoys beautiful things and fashion. They want financial security. They embrace femininity as much as Cinderella. But are despised for their attitude and actions. Cruelty, vanity, greed and jealousy. They push Cinderella down so they can appear higher than her. The toxic nature of these characters shows that femininity is not idealized on its own. It must be combined with other positive traits. Bows and ruffles do not make one a worthy person. Ballgowns and heels alone do not earn a happy ending.

Perhaps their failings are in the unfeminine sins of being loud and ugly, but other versions of these stepsisters (including the French versions) are described as beautiful and poised. They are still the antagonists. Perhaps it’s their vanity, but we spy Cinderella enjoying her looks on multiple reflective surfaces throughout the movie (bubbles, a fountain, a pond and a mirror). Cinderella cries as loudly as the sister sing off key. Despite the Disney Marketing Team using the term “Ugly Stepsisters,” the story focuses on the sister’s actions (like ripping up the pink dress violently) as much as anything else. Their cruelty is better remembered than the shape of their noses. It’s their souls that are ugly. And no amount femininity will change that.

E. Masculinity is also Neutral

While masculinity is not very present in this movie, it does appear in side or undeveloped characters. The unhinged king who acts rashly, violently and loudly (negative). The nervous duke who needs a vacation and seems on edge (neutral - but less traditionally masculine ). The underdeveloped prince (positive) . The nefarious cat Lucifer (negative). And the helpful mice - particularly GusGus (positive, but ignorant) and Jacque (positive, but condescending) . Marrying a man might have given Cinderella her opportunity to flee an abusive household , but the stronger masculine moments of the film (like the king with his anger and the midnight chase) are not seen as particularly positive. With such a mixed bag of representation, you cannot say masculinity is treated in a more positive light than femininity.

In fact, even adherence to gender expectations is varied. The king is the character obsessed with babies. That typical feminine trait is his redeeming quality. The evil stepmother is commanding. Her presence on screen is filled with power. The Duke is physically weaker and emotionally intelligent. The Prince is obsessed with “love” but not women in general. None of the men are ambitious with the potential marriage. The most adhered to gender convention is clothing. Something that this particular fairytale says can easily be transformed to match your true identity with a wave of a wand.

3. Capitalism and Media

Every piece of media contains parts of the society that made it. Cinderella is no different. You can see the Dior New Look as an animated fashion masterpiece, the glitter of postwar consumerism and influence of post-war propaganda. In 1950, the dream was to throw off the toil and dirt of the war years and drive in your Chevrolet Bel Air into a future of modern conveniences and beauty.

Some people have complained that Cinderella is too capitalistic - with her new magic clothing celebrating consumerist culture and with wealth being a part of her happy ending. Well, Cinderella was made in America post-WWII during the Cold War. Pro-capitalist sentiment was the name of the game.

Plus, many older and more recent versions continue this capitalist view because we still live within capitalist societies. They are merely reflecting the values of society back at the audience. There are Cinderella tales where the wealth is refused (1997 animated Anastasia for example).

Additionally, even in the Disney version, Cinderella must return to rags before she can achieve happiness. While in these rags, we see her happily daydream about the night before and hum to herself contently while getting ready to meet the duke (who is trying the slipper on all women). This joy did not require her to change into a fancy gown. Or adorn jewelry. She is not embarrassed by her rags. Her mood only sours when the stepmother locks her in the attic. The loss of her escape makes her weep. It’s the lack of freedom, not finery, that breaks her. Even the last images of this film show Cinderella running happily in a fairly simple wedding dress down a flight of stairs with her prince and entering carriage that pulls away. The last image of Cinderella is not entering a castle, wearing golden gowns, covered in sparkling jewels, or any definitive measure of her new wealth. It’s her escaping. With the person who loves her. Running towards a life free of abuse and fear.

4. Everyone is a Princess

One Cinderella retelling said it better than I ever could. Per the Little Princess, “I am a princess. All girls are. Even if they live in tiny old attics. Even if they dress in rags, even if they aren’t pretty, or smart, or young. They’re still princesses. All of us.” Cinderella is not about a chosen one. A prophesied hero with special powers or abilities. It’s a story about a person being abused by those more powerful and overcoming that trauma. Anyone who was ever been made to feel like less than, can see hope in this timeless tale. I would expand this sentiment beyond girls to anyone who wants to be included because as Sarah reminds us being a princess is a state of mind. Anyone can do so if they are kind, remember they are worthy of love, and refuse to let others make them think their life has no value.

5. Bow down to the Princess that saved a Studio

Prior to the release of Cinderella, Walt Disney’s studio was facing imminent foreclosure. Disney owed the Bank of America millions of dollars.“Cinderella” proved to be the hit the Disney studio needed. Had it flopped, Walt Disney would likely have gone out of business; instead, it was a huge hit, and, in 1955, he opened Disneyland. Disney reportedly said the magical dress transformation sequence in Cinderella was his personal favorite piece of animation. Cinderella has remained visually recognizable and iconic over 70 years after her introduction. She is often used as the face of the “Disney Princess” marketed items. No doubt just the art of this movie changed the pop culture landscape forever. Without Cinderella, there is no Disney World, Little Mermaid, Mulan, Marvel Studios (as we know it), Owl House, Mary Poppins, Parent Trap, Beauty and the Beast, Pirates of the Caribbean, Lion King, Mighty Ducks, Remember the Titans, Holes, Inside Out, Encanto, Coco, Princess Diaries, Hocus Pocus, etc.

6. Personal Bias

I will own up to my own bias. Cindy and Buffy (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) were my two main fictional heroes. I love them. It should be noted also that I am blonde with lighter eyes so I strongly identified visually with Cinderella on screen. She is one of the reasons I so strongly support increased representation for the POC, LGBTQA+ community, disabled people, etc. I remember how much it meant to see someone who looked like myself on screen. I can’t imagine not wanting others to experience the same joy.

**Trigger Warning Domestic Abuse**

7. Classic Cinderella, a Domestic Abuse Survivor

A. Her Story is a Survival Story

A classic Cinderella character suffers from and escapes domestic abuse. Disney’s Cinderella is no different. She is a victim who overcomes her circumstances and becomes known as a role model, heroine, and royalty. The film narrator directly states, “… Cinderella was abused, humiliated, and finally forced to become a servant in her own house. And yet, through it all, Cinderella remained ever gentle and kind.” Her suffering does not limit her ability to find happiness and success. She wins. She escapes. The fact her success is in part due to her friends and support network is valuable. And at the end of the movie, Cinderella must run down the stairs herself to the get the Duke’s attention. She must take that last step to obtain freedom. That’s often the hardest step. And it was her choice and action.

There is nothing wrong asking for or receiving help. Cinderella’s worth is not diminished because she has friends. We should be encouraging domestic abuse victims to reach out and get help. It is an incredibly dangerous situation, and the victim’s life is most as risk at the moment of escape. Cindy relied on mice, a fairy godmother and royalty. If you are in that situation, pleas feel free to rely on a friend, family member, hotline, etc. Get yourself to a women’s shelter that can give you a roof, clothes and food. Cinderella received goods from her godmother. There is no shame in getting help.

Cinderella is not less valuable because she did not escape on her own. She just needed to escape. Happiness is only found outside of the abusive environment. This is the story of survival. Remaining gentle and kind despite the world. Not letting your trauma darken your heart. How can that not have value? Especially, when this is such a real world issue.

B. Blame Society and Abusers, not the Woman

In the context of a story which is loosely based on 1800’s France, we see no working women (other than Cindy as a servant). To leave without a reference (which the stepmother would never give) or a husband to provide, Cinderella would have ended up a prostitute. There were no domestic abuse shelters in the 1800’s. There were no ways to support or save herself within the world shown on screen without a “miracle”. If leaving a domestic abuse situation in our world is hard, dangerous and requires aid, Cindy required more. She required magic. Neither Cinderella nor any other domestic abuse victim should be blamed for the faults of their society.

We should also not fault Cinderella for being abused. I don’t understand how conveyers of pop-feminism can clearly explain the issues with victim-blaming in sexual situations, but then fail to grasp the exact same concept in popular narratives. Is it the animation as a method of storytelling? The fact the victims find happiness despite their trauma without always resorting to punishing the evildoers? The fact that these victims are hyperfeminine? As if looking a certain ways means you are asking to be hurt. How is this supposed to make real victims feel when they hear the cruel comments? When they identify with Cindy’s situation? Don’t blame the innocent party for failing to stop the actions of the abusers. Only the abuser is responsible.

C. Real World Issue and Inspiration

Much like Cinderella, we exist in a capitalist, patriarchal, and classist society. The USA struggles with domestic abuse and child abuse even today. On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men. 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe forms of domestic abuse (Domestic Abuse Statistics by the NCADV). In 2021, a reported 452,313 perpetrators abused or neglected a child. In substantiated child abuse cases, 77% of children were victimized by a parent. In 2022, 21% of people alleged to have abused a child were themselves children. (Child abuse statistics by the National Children’s Alliance).

The issue was even was worse in the past, which might explain why certain older versions of Cinderella still resonate. For the majority of western history, domestic abuse was explicitly legal. Maryland was the first state to make hitting your wife illegal in 1882. In North Carolina in 1886, the beatings had to be severe enough to cause permanent injury or malicious beyond reason to be punishable. Wife beating only became illegal in all of the United States in 1920. There were not serious legal changes between then and 1950 when Disney’s Cinderella was released. Domestic matters were seen as something private to handle at home. In 1962 (12 years after Cinderella’s release), Domestic violence cases were transferred from Criminal Court to Family Court in New York, making it nearly impossible for perpetrators to be criminalized if he or she assaulted someone. Also in 1962, the first guidelines for recognizing child abuse and neglect are printed. Maine opened one of the first women’s shelters in 1967. In Chicago during the 1970s, women’s who left their husbands due to battering were denied welfare because of their husband’s salary. The Child Abuse and Prevention Act only passed in 1974. Terms like emotional and physiological abuse were not used or recognized until right before the 1980s. Stalking wasn’t identified as a crime until the 1990’s. The Violence Against Women Act was not passed until 1994.

Given that Cinderella is a story where the victim, not only escapes, but thrives, it has merit. Because that the majority of domestic abuse victims are women, Cinderella’s gender and femininity seem all the more valuable. I know of at least one survivor who used this film for comfort while growing up. I hope she has stayed safe.

Cinderella is not defined by her pain or abuse. She is defined by her perseverance and good heart. She is defined by her escape from the abusive home. She is defined by finding love, security and acceptance. She is a valuable character who deserves to be iconic. I hope every survivor can see a little of themselves in her gentle kindness.

#cinderella #disney #disney cinderella #domestic abuse #defending my childhood movies #she’s a hero #long post #pop feminism counter #femininity #femininity in Cinderella #feminism

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