Twitter Is Dragging Kristen Bell For Her Opinion on Consent and... Snow White?
Kristen Bell is a self-proclaimed mom who wants her daughters to "possess critical thinking and ask a ton of questions," so that's what they do when they read books. And when they close Snow White, she asks her daughters Lincoln, 5, and Delta, 3, about their thoughts.
In an interview with Parents, she said: "Every time we close Snow White I look at my girls and ask, 'Don't you think it's weird that Snow White didn't ask the old witch why she needed to eat the apple? Or where she got that apple?' I say, 'I would never take food from a stranger, would you?' And my kids are like, 'No!' And I'm like, 'Okay, I'm doing something right.'"
She also asks them: "Don't you think that it's weird that the prince kisses Snow White without her permission? "Because you can not kiss someone if they're sleeping!"
Bell says reading to her children is her favorite part of the day because when she glances away from the books, she gets to see their brains working while they're all cuddled up. And the Disney princess herself — as the voice of Anna in Frozen — is proud to see her children discussing these stories critically.
But now, the mom of two is facing backlash for her comments. People are tweeting in outrage. Many are tweeting about people in Hollywood living in a bubble, trying to turn Disney movies into #MeToo situations.
Others are arguing that "it's just a fairytale."
And some are even chiming in with their anti-feminist views.
But Kristin is right, and people nonethless are coming at her for her personal opinion and seem to be more protective of a cartoon than real children.
"I find the outrage annoying and misplaced as well," Bell responded to one Twitter user. "I'm a mom who wants my girls to possess critical thinking and aks [sic] a ton of questions. So that's what we do when we read books."
When another Twitter user accused Bell of being a "hypocrite" for "cashing" her "huge check" to star in Frozen, she replied, "It's cute that you guys are making jokes about something that I feel is very important. I'd be happy to send you copies and snow white and frozen, and you can see the differences. How far the example set for women has come. It might enlighten your point of view."
And in response to another comment about how "not everything needs a message," Bell tweeted: "Actually, everything IS a message to our children, because they are sponges that soak up everything and are learning how to be adults through what they see. I want my girls to see and practice critical thinking and respectful behavior."
Bell is working on a children's book of her own right now, a process she says has made her appreciate of how far children's literature has come.
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AnnaMarie Houlis is a feminist, a freelance journalist and an adventure aficionado with an affinity for impulsive solo travel. She spends her days writing about women’s empowerment from around the world. You can follow her work on her blog, HerReport.org, and follow her journeys on Instagram @her_report, Twitter @ herreport and Facebook .
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