Over the past several months I have gotten quite a few questions regarding the children's book King and King, which I mentioned on my Equality 101 page. Some are wondering what it's all about, or if it's "a threat."
My reply: Yes actually, it is a threat. It's a threat to bigotry and homophobia.
One rather upset email commenter said "This is nothing more than gay porn propaganda for kids!" Interesting, considering it is neither pornographic nor propagandist. It's a fricking fairytale, people.
This is a brief rundown of the book which, along with other books like it, can be found in elementary schools in my country. You decide if it's evil or not.
It is a classic-style, illustrated fairy tale, wherein a queen who is ready to retire is nagging her son (crown prince Bertie) to get married. "Very well mother," he says, "I must say, though, I've never cared very much for princesses."
The queen searches the world over for a suitable bride, but none of the eligible bachelorettes peek any interest in the prince, until princess Medeleine arrives. The prince is immediately smitten...by her brother, prince Lee. It is, as the book describes, love at first sight.
After a courtship, the two princes get married in the royal palace and join their lives together, becoming King and King.
So there you have it. A simple children's book that obviously isn't the end of the world, and certainly isn't pornographic. If this simple and inclusive fairy tale is "gay porn propaganda for kids," then Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Rapunzel are straight porn propaganda for kids. Please tell me we're more mature than that as a species.
King and King is a great book with a wonderful story about diversity and acceptance which can help to dispel some of the ignorance surrounding same-sex relationships. It is a sweet story which is tastefully written and illustrated, and its message that love transcends gender makes this book a must-have for our time. You might have a problem with it, however, if you're afraid of letting your child think.
The kids in my family all have a copy of this book, and their teachers have also read it with their classes at school in Norway (though, sadly, I highly doubt it will be read in Philippine schools anytime soon). In short, it's a highly-recommended book with a great message.
And the book ends in classic fairy tale fashion:
"...they lived happily every after."
Another great new book is ''The Dream Prince,'' by Justyna Nyka. It starts like many fairy tales do: Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess who went out into the world to search for her dream prince. She searches high and low in country after country -- in desperation even trying to make a prince out of cookie dough -- but no prince wins her heart. Her parents, the king and queen, find out that the world is full of surprises when their daughter returns home from her journey not with a dream prince, but rather with a dream princess.
The moral of the story is summed up by the king who, in the end, says: ''We were searching for one thing and found another - and it's just as good!'' It's a great message of tolerance and love, and lets kids know that not every princess is looking for a prince.
There are also some other great pro-equality children's books out there today, including "It's Okay to be Different", "Uncle Bobby's Wedding", "All Families Are Special", "Mommy, Mama, and Me", and "Daddy, Papa, and Me," all of which can be ordered online from your European, North American, or Australian bookstore of choice. Many offer international shipping to points in Asia.
In addition to same-sex inclusive fairy tales, there are also revamped traditional fairy tales being read in schools throughout Europe these days. Most of us are so used to hearing how it's always the brave prince who saves the helpless princess, they kiss and fall in love, and then the princess lives out her life quietly raising babies and perfecting her royal wave. But come on, it's not the middle ages anymore!
The author, Per Gustavsson, has come out with a series of the princess's adventures, and they've become quite a hit in Scandinavia. Instead of the princess waiting to be rescued by a prince, she goes and rescues the prince who is in danger! Instead of a strong, brave prince saving the day, it's a strong, brave princess who saves the day, and I think it's great!
Along this same vein are the books "Princess to the Rescue!" and "The Paper Bag Princess" where princesses rescue princes from dragons and ogres, not by using their charms but by using their skill, strength, and intelligence.
Face reality, people. Sometimes princes marry princes. Sometimes a princess' "prince charming" turns out to be a "princess charming," and sometimes princesses kick ass, rescue the prince, and save the kingdom. If that makes you nervous, well, take a Xanax. It ain't 1950 anymore.
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