Next time you watch or read “Snow White” with children, you need to have a discussion about consent, according to actress Kristen Bell.
In a recent interview with Parents magazine, Bell, who was the voice of Princess Anna in “Frozen” said that she’s not always comfortable with letting her children watch classic Disney movies,The Washington Post reported.
School Invites Drag Queen to Speak at ‘Career Day’ for Kids, Parents Revolt
"Don't you think that it's weird that the prince kisses Snow White without her permission?" – @IMKristenBell https://t.co/PaJySEzPry
— Parents Magazine (@parentsmagazine) October 15, 2018
Bell explained that when watching Disney movies, she sometimes has to take a break and explain certain things to her daughters, Lincoln, 5, and Delta, 3.
She described the story of Snow White, who after falling under a spell, could only be awakened by true love’s kiss. Prince Charming eventually makes his way to her, kisses her, and she wakes up.
Bell said it’s the perfect opportunity for her to discuss what should really be done in a situation like that.
“Don’t you think that it’s weird that the prince kisses Snow White without her permission? Because you cannot kiss someone if they’re sleeping!” the actress exclaimed.
Bell also added that the story allows her to teach her daughters another valuable lesson: to not take apples, or anything else for that matter, from strangers.
“Every time we close ‘Snow White’ I look at my girls and ask ‘Don’t you think it’s weird that Snow White didn’t ask the old witch why she needed to eat the apple? Or where she got the apple?’” Bell told the magazine. “I say, ‘I would never take food from a stranger, would you?’ And my kids are like, ‘No!’ And I’m like, ‘okay, I’m doing something right.’”
Believe it or not, Bell is not the first to have a problem with the Disney classic. Kazue Muta, a sociology professor at Osaka University in Japan, even went as far to say that the children’s story promotes sexual violence.
According to Fox News, Muta wrote in Japanese, “When you think rationally about ‘Snow White’ and ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ that tell of a ‘princess being woken up by the kiss of a prince,’ they are describing sexual assault on an unconscious person. You might think I’m ruining the fantasy of it all, but these stories are promoting sexual violence, and I would like everyone to be aware of it.”
白雪姫とか眠り姫とかの「王子様のキスでお姫様が長い眠りから目覚めた」おとぎ話、あれも、冷静に考えると、意識のない相手に性的行為をする準強制わいせつ罪です。「そんなの夢が無い」との反応あるかと思いますが、逆にこんなおとぎ話が性暴力を許している、との認識に至っていただきたいものです。 https://t.co/8Qn4Fqf2We
— 牟田和恵 (@peureka) December 11, 2017
Amnesty International Canada also campaigned against the Disney classic this past year, creating their own version of the kissing scene called “No Consent = No Fairy Tale.
The video shows Prince Charming kissing Snow White, just like the classic, but in their version, she doesn’t magically awaken. When she doesn’t open her eyes, the Prince sticks his hand between her legs, only to have a nearby owl throw a nut at his head.
“No, it’s cool,” the prince says. “I’m a prince; she’s a princess. We were going to — you know. We messed around at the party, so we’re just picking up where we left off.”
“But is she into it now?” a frog asks.
“What? We should have made a contract or something?” the prince quips.
The video then ends saying: “Don’t have sex without mutual consent.”
Bell is not the only actress who has taken a stand against the Disney story — Keira Knightley has also banned her children from watching certain Disney movies due to the “message” they send.
“’Cinderella’ — banned,” said Knightley, on “The Ellen Show” recently. She argued that the classic tale paints a bad picture of relationships.
Canadian Group Introduces ‘Julien,’ Transgender Puppet Who Deals With Gender Fluidity
“Because, you know, she waits around for a rich guy to rescue her. Don’t. Rescue yourself, obviously,” Knightley said, who played Robin Hood’s daughter in Disney’s “Princess of Thieves.”
“And,” she added, “this is the one that I’m quite annoyed about because I really like the film but ‘Little Mermaid.’ I mean, the songs are great but do not give your voice up for a man. Hello.”
(H/T: The Washington Post)