06/14/2024
I’m currently reading How to Raise a Feminist Son by Sonora Jha and I highly recommend it.
Her perspective as a single mom, a woman of color, and an immigrant resonates deeply with me and my experience raising boys.
I just finished a chapter about stories, the stories we’re telling our children, and it brought to mind many sweet memories of my own childhood when my mom would re-imagine classic fairytales for me and my sister.
In these new stories we were invited to empathize with the stepmothers, we were asked to question why a princess needed to wait to be rescued, we were invited to imagine a new perspective. Those are some of my favorite memories of my mom, moments in which she planted seeds of rebellion that would later on give me the strength and bravery to carve my own path.
It also made me think about this wonderful book I found in Mexico a few years ago called “Princesas al Poder”, which would translated as something similar to “Empowered Princesses” or “Power to the Princesses.”
I found this treasure in a bookstore in my hometown and I came back to my mom’s house so excited to show off my wonderful find.
My stepdad glanced at the book and looked at me with curiosity and confusion. “Isn’t this book for girls? You have two sons!”
Stories of adventurous girls in positions of leadership aren’t only for little girls’ ears!
I want my sons to read and listen to these stories of a Little Mermaid who fights fiercely to defend the ocean from the plastic that humans are dumping in the water.
I want my sons to hear about Cinderella starting her own cleaning company that pays all the employees fairly.
I want my sons to imagine a Little Red Riding Hood who protects the wolves and their important role in the forest ecosystem.
Sharing books and stories with our children is a beautiful way to bond, to start important conversations and to engage our imagination together so we can create new narratives.
I would love to hear some of your favorite books to help kids reimagine and challenge gender roles!
