As part of the BBC’s 100 Women season, author Jeanette Winterson asked a number of primary school pupils in the Cotswolds to think of ways to re-write Cinderella to make it more gender equal.
Touching on topics like women not having their own money and this rescue-the-princess mentality, the children said that women “shouldn’t really rely on anybody else to save them.”
“They should stand up for themselves and actually try themselves.”
Do fairy tales need to be updated for the children of today? Or are they a little piece of history that should be cherished? #100women pic.twitter.com/eWwtZB2F26
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) November 22, 2016
However, while the children had no issues with re-writing the story, the same could not be said for Twitters users who were NOT impressed at the mere suggestion of updating fairytales.
“No, leave them alone #HandsOffOurFairyTales,” tweeted one person, while anther said: “Most people will say - if you want to 'update' them to bring into a modern context write news ones, leave the originals alone.”
@BBCBreakfast most people will say - if you want to 'update' them to bring into a modern context write news ones, leave the originals alone
— Ray Mach (@raymach1) November 22, 2016
@BBCBreakfast definitely not leave classics alone we wouldn't re write Shakespeare to much correctness
— stephen palmer (@Steve0Palmer) November 22, 2016
@BBCBreakfast leave fairytales alone, imagination & dreaming is part of life. fairytales don't determine your life path
— Chillinthecommunity (@chillcomcafe) November 22, 2016
However, not everyone was against the suggestion, with a number of followers saying it is a great idea.
“Brilliant retelling of rubbish old 'traditional' fairytales by small sensible children. Good on you @Wintersonworld”
@BBCBreakfast #100women Brilliant retelling of rubbish old 'traditional' fairytales by small sensible children. Good on you @Wintersonworld
— Elspeth Morrison (@Elspeth27) November 22, 2016
@raymach1 @BBCBreakfast Most people don't seem to realise that the versions they know were updated by Disney and are not the originals...
— Eddy (@Gingeronstun) November 22, 2016
What do you think of it?
