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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think princess school sounds grim and sexist?

99 replies

Noteveryday · 12/08/2013 21:10

I have no wish to slag off a decent local attraction which we regularly enjoy visiting. But I sat genuinely open-mouthed reading this description of a summer holiday activity -

Knight & Princess School

"Join (name of attraction deleted) Knight and Princess School. Brave knights can dress up in chainmail and helmets in the Armour Zone and try out their combat skills in a foam sword battle (suitable for ages 2 to 10).

Sword fighting lessons using wooden training swords and real Medieval techniques will be available plus an interactive Mini Warrior Battle Show for the whole family which will reenact The Battle of Agincourt with the children cast as English archers.

The Princess Show will teach the etiquette needed to meet a Prince, with the opportunity to try on beautiful dresses and learn a Medieval courtly dance."

And that's it. That's all they will be doing in the princess school. Now obviously the argument will go that people should just take girls to the knight school. But why do they even bother having a princess school? Or make it GOOD - Or at least they should have an equivalently dull prince school - learn a dance and try on shitty prince clothes.

Am I losing it or is this bloody awful?

OP posts:
mrsjay · 12/08/2013 22:10

good for him Grin

Original poster
Noteveryday · 12/08/2013 22:10

It's an accumulation of these things. I think you are building a straw person there.

OP posts:
SinisterSal · 12/08/2013 22:12

You don't need to ban Worra
You can strongly imply. Kids are clever, they pick up on that

WorraLiberty · 12/08/2013 22:12

No, I'm merely pointing out that you can't have both ways.

So girls get a pat on the back if they want to take part in the Knight thing and boys get a pat on the back when they want to take part in the Princess thing.

But they're saps if they want to take part in it if it's actually aimed at their own sex?

What are they if they want to do attraction one week and the other the week after?

Semi saps perhaps?

mrsjay · 12/08/2013 22:14

But they're saps if they want to take part in it if it's actually aimed at their own sex?

that is what i was trying to say

Original poster
Noteveryday · 12/08/2013 22:16

I think you are missing my points.

I think the activity itself is sexist. I am not having a go at kids who want to pretend to be prince / knights/ princesses any more than I would have a go at kids who prefer pink or blue lego.

Yes I do think people whose whole life aim is to marry a prince are saps, and if you think IABU, so be it. That's why I started the thread - to get different opinions.

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 12/08/2013 22:17

And you bolded it too mrsjay Shock Grin

Don't get me wrong, I hate all the pink for girls and blue for boys shit.

But I also hate seeing people criticised or insulted for just having a bit of fun.

Just because a girl might like to play at being a princess today, it doesn't mean that tomorrow she won't be hunting the garden for bugs to look at under a microscope with her Science set.

These things are not always 'either' 'or'.

Elsiequadrille · 12/08/2013 22:18

I think it would be better if all the activities were available for both sexes to try. They could equally take a turn of medieval dancing, sword play and whatever else was mentioned, wearing whichever costume they chose.

WorraLiberty · 12/08/2013 22:18

But how many people do you know who actually seriously want to marry a Prince OP?

Where are all these girls queuing up to tell you this?

Or are you just making an assumption based on a snap shot of them wearing a princess dress and a tiara for a few hours?

mrsjay · 12/08/2013 22:20

yes I remembered my Bolding Grin

I hate that too so what if a girl wants to put her princess dress on or a boy wants to get a sword out is there not a saying somewhere let kids be kids Hmm as long as they conform to being a tom boy or a sensitive boy

SkiSchoolRun · 12/08/2013 22:20

I think it sounds horrific & I have 2 little girls who don't need to know such crap days out exist! They can learn how to attract a mate in the union bar like I did and not at 4 thanks v much.

Original poster
Noteveryday · 12/08/2013 22:21

But possibly if he is constantly presented with a view of her gender that is limited to X or Y, she might lose the confidence to try Z?

Thanks, you've given me food for thought. I think I will attend in order to reinforce or demolish my prejudices.

OP posts:
UnevenTan · 12/08/2013 22:21

Lots of girls are waiting for Mr Right to sweep them off their feet...

The cultural references are everywhere. It's bad enough that as teenagers they may read pride and prejudice, or listen to pop music about this sort of thing, or see Bridget jones t the cinema. At least by then, sensible conversations and some balanc will be possible. When they're little is this sort of sexist/gendered stuff really necessary?

BrokenSunglasses · 12/08/2013 22:22

I think you are over reacting.

The only way to ever avoid any gender stereotypes is to pretend that differences between boys and girls don't exist, and to do that is to deny a lot of children's natural interests.

Of course there will be children that won't see the appeal of an activity that is aimed at their gender, but that doesn't mean these activities shouldn't exist for the ones that would like it.

If it wouldn't suit your boy or girl, the do something else, the same as you would with any other activity you saw advertised. But don't try and spoil things for the little girls that would love nothing more than they would a princess activity.

UnevenTan · 12/08/2013 22:22

Also, if it's not sexist, why is it not called 'prince and princess school'?

Growlithe · 12/08/2013 22:23

But I think that is what's going to happen Elsie. OP, is there anyway you could email the attraction and ask if knights and princesses are separated, or whether everyone gets a go at everything? Places do tend to be a bit more 'right-on' than this nowadays.

Original poster
Noteveryday · 12/08/2013 22:24

Oh Broken. I didn't even name the place. I am not trying to spoil things for little girls who like princesses I promise. I also have one of those.

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 12/08/2013 22:25

But possibly if he is constantly presented with a view of her gender that is limited to X or Y, she might lose the confidence to try Z?

Yes I totally agree and that's why I hate the pink and blue shit.

But

This is an attraction that (as far as we know) kids of either sex can choose to do...without being told they have to choose based on their sex.

And

It's historically accurate from what you've said.

I'm sure there will also be people tutting at them making money out of teaching children to be violent...what with the sword fighting and battling.

But it's history, like it or not...it's the way things were.

UnevenTan · 12/08/2013 22:27

Is it really history? We're the majority of women/girls in the Middle Ages princesses? It's hardly a realistic snapshot of medieval life.

notanyanymore · 12/08/2013 22:30

Dd1 would LOVE that!!
But she'll only wear party dresses (every single day!), with matching 'sparkly' shoes, but once all dressed up she'll be off climbing tree's, making mud pies, digging for worms etc. So, I wonder if they can dress as princesses and then have a sword fight??

WorraLiberty · 12/08/2013 22:32

Is it really history? We're the majority of women/girls in the Middle Ages princesses? It's hardly a realistic snapshot of medieval life.

Huh??

Of course the majority weren't Confused

And I'm quite sure they're not claiming they were?

SinisterSal · 12/08/2013 22:32

It's unfair to expect kids to 'choose' to go against social norms.
It is limiting them because they won't do that.

And i don't want to spoil anyone's fun, I just want to widen the definition of fun so it's not limited by sex.

SinisterSal · 12/08/2013 22:33

You said it's the way things were. Most people weren't princesses

Growlithe · 12/08/2013 22:33

But the majority on men weren't knights either. But 'Serf School' isn't going to appeal at all is it?

WorraLiberty · 12/08/2013 22:35

SinsiterSal

Yes, it was the way things were Princesses.

Was that not quite obvious?

Nowhere did I say most people were Princesses.

Most people weren't Knights either...and I'm sure the kids will be taught this.

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