Sarah Hall, from North Shields, claimed Sleeping Beauty promotes an ‘inappropriate sexual’ message to young children
A mother has demanded her six-year-old son’s school bans Sleeping Beauty because the princess gives no consent to be kissed.
Sarah Hall, from Northumberland Park, North Shields, claimed the fairytale promotes an ‘inappropriate sexual’ message to young children.
She said the story is irresponsible because it teaches children it is acceptable to kiss women while they are asleep.
The mother of two 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?’
Ms Hall is worried about what message the tale, which features a Prince waking up a Princess by kissing her, sends to impressionable youngsters.
The 40-year-old left a comment in her son’s record book, and contacted the 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.’
Ms Hall said recent coverage of sexual abuse, including the social media ‘Me Too’ campaign, made her think about the messages being sent to youngsters.
Ms Hall argued Sleeping Beauty teaches children that it is acceptable to kiss a women while they are asleep
She said: ‘These are indicative of how ingrained that kind of behaviour is in society.
‘All these small things build up, and they make a difference.’
Ms Hall said there might be problems with other fairytales, but that the is mostly disturbed by the ‘non-consensual’ kissing in this story.
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?’