Fairytale Sims
MANIERASL went to different Second Life® simulators that embody the idea of fairytales and magic.
SAMMIE AUDION MANIERASL WRITER
“ nce upon a time... ” is the beginning of many adventurous fairy tales that influence the emotional development of children. So besides a little scare for intensity, a moral lesson and a sense of justice, what else might be found? Certainly, there is the component of desired social structure, more specifically gender roles. Might it be that some sources for gender roles can be found in those fairy tales? Further if so, have those fairy tales maintained their impact on our society or can we observe any shift? The Brothers Grimm seem to be quite clear in their understanding of what is the proper place for women. Their female heroines are adorable, submissive to the prince charming and beautiful child-like women. If women have other roles in the stories, they are evil queens and witches, or selfish, shallow and narcissistic brats, all on a not so secret mission of making the life of the heroine miserable. To be clear, not that
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there is anything wrong with women playing a nurturing and supportive role, but in an equal world this should be a choice and not a preset, gender specific role. In the last few years, Hollywood seems to be changing the image of women in fairy tales. Movies like Snow White and the Huntsman, Brave, Hansel and Gretel, or even Underworld, seem to reshape the female role from nurturing and in need of protection to a fearless, smart, and courageous warrior. If this change in society is actually taking place, then it may manifest itself in the roles women choose in Second Life®. While visiting three amazing fairy tale and role play sims, attempting to capture their beauty in pictures, players using female avatars were asked about how they see their roles and if they deviated from the traditional fairy tale roles of women.
JULY/AUGUST 2013
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