Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls

[Bumblebzz]

Surprised and disappointed to see gender stereotypes (pink, dresses and shiny shoes) so blatantly reinforced in this book. I just bought it for my daughter as I am trying to do just the opposite and challenge those very stereotypes...

I didn’t buy the book based on this story but then someone gave it to my daughter. I found it really useful to start a conversation. I said look at the stereotypes, is that what we think girls are? I also pointed out that everyone else in the book had achieved something and they boy was only in there because he thought he was a girl. I hate it being there but I would rather talk to my daughter about it before she starts being influenced by others. Teaching critical thinking to our girls is about the most useful thing we can do now and it is a good reminder not to take every book at face value. As an alternative to glueing it together consider putting a post it note on it with some good questions on it.

DD was given three copies of it for her 4th birthday.

I have no problem with Thatcher being in it, (FFS who seriously wants to write the first female PM out of history? Why does she have to be more virtuous than any number of male politicians?) but Coy’s inclusion shits me and tbh his narrative fits right in with the ‘laud me for being soooo oppressed’ narrative that runs through the book.

I am not saying that oppression didn’t exist and doesn’t still exist!! I’m just saying it’s bloody hard to plough through that book with your four year old looking up at you in bewilderment as you read endless miserable tales about girls not being allowed to do anything. Thankfully this is not (yet) her lived experience. And I don’t think she needs to be bludgeoned over the head with victimhood on quite such a grand scale just yet.

Wow I didn't like this in there either. Totally going to glue together!

Oh god. I didn't know about this. My brother gave this to my daughter and she's keeping it her dad's house so I haven't had a proper look. He accosted me angrily that Coco Chanel was in it, who was a fascist. I mumbled hopelessly. I think this means confiscation.

Although I'm sure he's dealt with Coco Chanel and Thatcher without mercy, he's probably pro trans.

I would also put in a mention for The Phoenix comic;

thephoenixcomic.co.uk/product/corpse-talk-ground-breaking-women/

DD and I were reading the comic today and was pleased to see this:

Emmeline pankhurst was a bit of a fascist too @antigrinch 😕
The ‘for girls’ bit stops me buying it, why is a book about amazing women one that only girls should read? We got 101 amazing women from the library and it prompted conversations about how people aren’t binary .. they can do both good and bad (Emmeline Pankhurst, Aung San Suu Kyi for example). Or how just because you are a woman doesn’t mean you’re moral (Thatcher!)