Advertising: PPC Cement's Rapunzel

"Get 15% more concrete from every bag."

Here's a new fairy tale ad being released this month (March 2012) in South Africa. I always find it interesting to see where these ads originate.

Kind of a funny one in that you tend to get the idea straight away (ie. even Rapunzel's magically long hair is outdone by the volume this cement adds to her tower) but then basic logic kicks in and you think, it's only a matter of time, as long as the prince is patient... right? (And then you wonder, would he really wait that long?)

I do like expression on the horse's face though: "Seriously?"

Advertising Agency: The Jupiter Drawing Room, Johannesburg, South Africa
Chief Creative Officer: Brad Reilly
Creative Director: Tim Beckerling
Copywriter: Voet Sack
Art Director: Voet Sack
Agency Producer: Manuel Lopes
Photographer: Jason Robinson
Published: March 2012
Via Ads of the World.

"In Media Res: Fairy Tale As Format" Post Update & Excerpts

A couple of days ago I posted about a new social media based presentation and discussion format being used to both present and discuss topics amongst various academic institutions (students, teachers, scholars) and also those in the public who may be interested. This week the focus is on Fairy Tale As Format. You can read more about the project in my initial post HERE.

Two more videos and posts so far. Here are some excerpts:

A Dream Walking: Desire and Fantasy in Catherine Breillat's "The Sleeping Beauty"  by Michael Bessozi (Georgia State University)

There is a sinister and tragic element that underlines popular fairy tales. Elements of the fantastic become interspersed with anxieties and desires revolving around identification. At the core of many of Hans Christian Anderson’s reinterpretations of various folk tales was an aura of melancholy surrounding the personal sacrifices made for the sake of dreams. Stories such as "The Little Mermaid" become all too familiar as the macro tensions of social expectations and cultural roles obstruct the dreams of the individual. The fantasy becomes all the more cruel and heartrending as individual hopes and goals prove to be unattainable. (Continue reading HERE.)

One of the comments (which, although is somewhat simplistic in the summary of the role of fairy tales over time, does touch on an interesting point of view regarding retellings in popular entertainment):

Dream vs Reality: Wow, you have a brilliantly written argument and piece here. I immediately want to see this film not only because of it’s surface fairy tale element, but it’s deeper twists of it. I think fairy tales deal with this dream vs. reality element that you bring up a great deal, especially by the audience. In the past fairy tales were used as a way to illustrate a moral lesson. Later on, especially with Disney adaptations of them, they became more dream-like escapes for the audience. And now with modern retellings, it seems like it’s become a new level entirely, one that brings the dream-like state into the reality and forcing the audience to get rid of their original ideas and notions of fairy tales and see them in this new light. 

Anime Fairy Tales: Fighting Fate and Convention by Amanda Landa (RTF UT-Austin)

Many anime series and films utilize fantastic generic structures which feature magic, alternate worlds, heroes, heroines, princes and princesses, to varying degrees. For this theme week, I decided to go back to one of my favorite shoujo titles which plays most clearly with typical “Western” fairytale structures. Princess Tutu is one of many anime series which feature a magical girl heroine in a seemingly normal high school setting that actually obscures dark secrets and alternate realities of the attendees’ real identities. (Continue reading HERE.)

A comment & question (which is answered by Ms. Landa)

 Fairy Tales Across Borders: Hi Amanda! Thanks for the post! It’s been forever since I’ve seen Princess Tutu, so my question for you is a bit more generally about fairy tales and anime and manga. Thinking about Princess Tutu, as well as any other anime series and/or films and manga, what do you think about how fairy tales work as transcultural objects? They get passed around and adapted and tweaked to fit cultural expectations over time, and I’m curious about how you think Japanese media has done with this lore from other countries (like its use of shoujo tropes in Tutu), and whether we see many exchanges of Japanese lore and fairy tales in non-Japanese media. (Continue reading, including Ms. Landa's answer HERE.)

Still to come:

• Thursday: Mattie Tanner (University of Texas at Dallas) presents: The Root of Evil—ABC’s "Once Upon A Time" Makes Evil Characters More Human
• Friday: Lisa Schmidt (Bishop’s University) presents: "Grimm": Old School Genre Dressed in the Latest Fashion

Guest Post on SurLaLune: Little Red Riding Hood Gets "Smash"ed

Today I have a guest post over at the SurLaLune blog. It's about how the new NBC show, Smash*, made good and fun use of Red Riding Hood in a recent "heading for Broadway" number.

One thing I didn't mention is how apropos the show header (above) is with regard to the concept. All those peeks of red in the garments against wolf-gray say a lot about the show and the characters. I'm sure it wasn't intentional. It was simply meant to be eye-catching but it also suggests to me how deeply the ideas in Red Riding Hood run in our culture. You'll see what I mean more clearly when you read the lyrics to the song too.

You can read my post Little Red Riding Hood Gets "Smash"ed HERE.

Sincere thanks to Heidi for both giving me the opportunity to post on her blog and for fixing the initial formatting issues that cropped up in the sending of the material. We're wishing her every success and all the resources she needs for her new fairy tale database project. The SurLaLune Fairy Tales website is without doubt the best, most user-friendly fairy tale resource and student/enthusiast aid online and gets better and better with every tale and resource added. I can't wait to see how Heidi's new database works!

*Smash is on NBC on Monday nights and all the full episodes are currently available for viewing online HERE (click on the "Video" tab on the site).

B&tB 'Swamp Thing' Poster

Swamp Thing by Florian Bertmer for Mondo. This is the best poster I've seen playing up the Beauty & the Beast angle. I also love the single play of red against green which makes it feel even more fairy tale like. 


A little while back I saw what appears to be an amateur fairy tale illustration of four panels in black and white with the only color in them being the red of a hood, a rose and of blood. It really brought out how strong symbolism can be in fairy tales. After a bit of a hunt I found the illustration but not the original source to give credit to. If you know the artist, please let me know and I'll update the post.

Red In Fairy Tales - Artist Unknown

All Zenescope's Grimm Fairy Tales Comics For 1/2 Price

These comics aren't everyone's cup of tea but if you're at all interested in them then this would be a good time to try them out (or to collect all 67). All of the issues are half-price, including the 3 big volumes (Vol 1 is #1-6, Vol 2 is #7-12 and Vol 3 is #13-18 and each of the volumes have exclusive content not in the individual issues).

In case you're not familiar with these comics, here's an overview of the tales in Volume 1, which will give you an idea of how the tales are handled. Please note, the cover artwork clearly shows this is adult fare:

For over two hundred years the powerful stories of the Brothers Grimm have enchanted millions around the world but there has never been an adaptation as intriguing or provocative as this. Grimm Fairy Tales volume 1 explores a much darker side of the infamous fables you heard as a child as these classic tales are retold and re-imagined with a terrifying twist you'll simply love as an adult. Red Riding Hood is forced to confront the insatiable hunger of terrifying beast; Cinderella seeks a shocking vengeance for the years of torture she's endured; Hansel & Gretel realize that the problems they left behind at home are nothing compared to the horror that awaits them on their ill-advised journey; A desperate girl makes a deal with the hideous Rumpelstiltskin only to find she may lose much more than she ever imagined; Sleeping Beauty learns that narcissism can be a very gruesome trait to possess and an envious sister finds her extreme measures to capture the man of her dreams may lead to much worse than just heartbreak from the Robber Bridegroom. Enter a world where morality is constantly tested and the shocking repercussions of one's choices must always be faced. Enter the world of Grimm Fairy Tales.

Here are some screencaps of all of the issues, including the volumes, so far.

You can browse and buy them HERE.

In Media Res - Fairy Tale as Format

I was kindly sent this press release this morning regarding In Media Res: A Creative Commons Project from an academic friend and thought I'd share, along with an excerpt from the first post which went live today.

First though, I thought I'd include some information from their "About" page so you can understand what In Media Res is trying to do. This sort of project is exactly the type of approach I've been hoping to see since social media became so prevalent, particularly in making scholarship accessible to non-academics and allowing for communication between scholars, media and interested non-academics, so this is very exciting.

In Media Res is dedicated to experimenting with collaborative, multi-modal forms of online scholarship. Our goal is to promote an online dialogue amongst scholars and the public about contemporary approaches to studying media. In Media Res provides a forum for more immediate critical engagement with media at a pace closer to how we experience mediated texts. 

Persephone by Kristina Carroll

Each weekday, a different scholar curates a 30-second to 3-minute video clip/visual image slideshow accompanied by a 300-350-word impressionistic response. We use the title "curator" because, like a curator in a museum, you are repurposing a media object that already exists and providing context through your commentary, which frames the object in a particular way. The clip/comment combination are intended both to introduce the curator’s work to the larger community of scholars (as well as non-academics who frequent the site) and, hopefully, encourage feedback/discussion from that community.  

Theme weeks are designed to generate a networked conversation between curators. All the posts for theme weeks thematically overlap and the participating curators each agree to comment on one another’s work. 

In Media Res hopes to:
• Give scholars the opportunity to critically engage with the media in a more immediate and timely way.
• Promote discussion within the media studies community through virtual interactions around contemporary media artifacts.
• Enable a lively debate in which the sum total of the conversation will be more valuable than any one particular voice.
• Bridge the divide between academic and non-academic communities, inviting a critically-engaged and/or curious public to join in.
• Lead to the emergence of new scholarly and pedagogical ideas about studying and teaching media.
• Work toward reinvigorating the academic’s role as public intellectual by presenting media scholars not just as informed experts with valuable ideas to impart about critical media literacy, but as fellow citizens in a mediated society. 

We have both a Facebook group and Twitter feed that provide links to each day’s post and to the latest calls for curators. 

If you are interested in being a video curator, please contact us at: alisa@mediacommons.futureofthebook.org

From In Media Res this week:

This week’s In Media Res theme focus is Fairy Tale as Format (March 12-16).

Here's the line-up:

Monday, March 12, 2012 - Lindsey Kempton (Independent Scholar) presents: Fairy Tales And The Sophisticated Viewer  

Tuesday, March 13, 2012 - Michael Besozzi (Georgia State University) presents: A Dream Walking: Desire and Fantasy in Catherine Breillat’s "The Sleeping Beauty"  

Wednesday, March 14, 2012 - Amanda Landa (University of Texas at Austin) presents: Anime Fairy Tales: Fighting Fate and Convention  

Thursday, March 15, 2012 - Mattie Tanner (University of Texas at Dallas) presents: The Root of Evil—ABC’s "Once Upon A Time" Makes Evil Characters More Human  

Friday, March 16, 2012 - Lisa Schmidt (Bishop’s University) presents: Fairy Tales And The Sophisticated Viewer   

Theme week organized by Maria Boyd (Georgia State University).

From "Pan's Labyrinth"

 Here's an excerpt from the first post by Lindsey Kempton, titled "Fairy Tales And The Sophisticated Viewer". The post includes a brief clip from Once Upon A Time to help illustrate the point:

Traditional fairy tale narratives are not made for today’s TV. Among a steady increase of smart, narratively complex shows that utilize attributes of the televisual medium, such as seriality and reflexivity, to their fullest, the conventional fairy tale falls flat. Their structures are too linear, too episodic, their worlds too limited, and their characters too static. At the very least, fairy tales’ self-contained stories and one dimensional protagonists would have to be altered to work for TV.  But savvy contemporary TV audiences that embrace, and to a certain extent, expect complicated narratives would yawn at a simple retrofitting of the tales. More significant changes on a narrative and structural level are required to entertain today’s sophisticated viewers. 

Fortunately, fairy tales have an inherent quality that makes them particularly amenable to adaptation. Spun from a long tradition of oral storytelling, fairy tale narratives are naturally fluid, easily allowing the stories to morph and evolve into whatever the storyteller desires so long as key narrative hallmarks remain recognizable. In part, it’s this fluidity that has allowed TV shows like Grimm and Once Upon A Time to mold the classic stories into a format fit for contemporary TV andTV audiences.

You can continue reading HERE.

There are interesting links in the related content area of the page too, such as:

• Feedback from Julie Snyder-Yuly on Working for the Fairy Tale

• Feedback from EMAC Research Project on Working for the Fairy Tale

• Working for the Fairy Tale

Go check it out and show them some love for what they're trying to achieve. The discussion on fairy tales in particular promise to be quite interesting and I'll be watching to see how interaction with readers goes. The home page is HERE.

Article: 'Once Upon a Time's' Ginnifer Goodwin Talks Fairy Tales

The Once Upon A Time cast and creators have all been talking a lot about their show recently, especially at PaleyFest (see Heidi's post on the highlights HERE), but I haven't seen a whole lot of conversation about the actual fairy tale content - both regarding source and re-envisioning - until this article on the Los Angeles Times blog HERE.

Ginnifer Goodwin, who plays the Snow White/Mary Margaret dual role, not only talks about the plot lines, twists, acting in the show and various dramas of Once but gets more detailed on barriers to happily ever after in both the fairy tale and real worlds and, most interesting to me, discusses her own research in preparing for Snow White.

[Aside: I haven't found anything of substance addressing the overall negative reaction to last week's Grumpy episode. Instead the buzz is focused on the long awaited backstory for Red Riding Hood/Ruby airing tonight. I hope for the show's sake it a good one.]

Here are some excerpts:

GG: (after mentioning she doesn't actually condone extra-marital affairs) I do feel that David and Mary Margaret are going through a struggle that is relatable. And they are a couple who put obstacles in their own way.  I’m finding that I thrive as an actress exploring that person and exploring that couple. It’s interesting because I know in some ways there has been a negative reaction by the public about what David is doing because everyone … 

Is upset because he’s married, right?Right. But people are forgetting that he’s cursed. The thing is, this couple will always put obstacles in their own way because they are cursed.  That is what makes them different from their fairy-tale counterparts. In fairy-tale land, external things are always the obstacles.  In Storybrook, just like in the modern world, these are people who insist on putting obstacles in their own way. And I think that Mary Margaret is addicted to disappointment so she puts herself in situations that are impossible — and that almost make her happy. Her curse, as inflicted by the Evil Queen, is that just when she’s about to possess her happiness, she finds a way to make things bad for herself and to have those things taken away from her... (continued in article) 

...You surely did a lot of research prior to jumping into the role. What did you consider the best interpretation of Snow White?I watched every Snow White movie ever made because I thought I could steal from people. The one I love the best is Elizabeth McGovern starring in Shelley Duvall''s "Faerie Tale Theatre." I think it's by far the best telling of the story.  I read all kinds of versions because this is not a story written by the Grimms.  This is a story older than anyone could possibly trace. It’s possible that it was based on a real-life story of a princess named Maria Sophia Maragrita.  What is bananas to me about this is I called the creators before we began the show and was like, “I love that you named her Mary Margaret after the woman who could have possibly been the inspiration for Snow White,” and they were like, “What are you talking about?” I was like, you can find online — but most of the pages you have to get translated because they’re in Russian or something — but I had said that Mary Margaret was clearly named after Maria Sophia Margarita. And they were like, “No, seriously, what are you talking about?” 

So are you saying you did more research than [creators] Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz?Ha! I guess — as far as that part goes, maybe. I mean, originally the character was going to be a nun, and that’s why she had the double name. And then when we decided not to make her nun, we stuck with the name. But what I found most helpful was — look, we were all sharing books. I found that the things that affected my process the most were these critical analyses of fairy tales.  There are these textbooks that break down what the importance was of each fairy tale in the time they were told.  And I found all of that so fascinating. In reading the breakdowns, I read a lot about Snow White’s own vanity and her competition with her mother — or evil stepmother — and that greatly changed how I saw Snow White and understanding what that story was originally meant to teach. Because then I started seeing Snow White as a bit of a spoiled brat when she was younger and she was someone who did cherish the attention she won from her father over the woman that he married. The Grimms’ version tells of Snow White’s own vanity and her not being able to turn down the beautiful comb that was offered to her by the hag or the laces that the hag offeres her to hang around her neck.  She was wrapped up in her own beauty.  And the message was that her own vanity would kill her. I really liked that idea, and I’ve incorporated it subtly into my characterization.

There's a lot more to read in the whole article HERE.

Benjamin Lacombe's Ondine

© Image Benjamin Lacombe. 
"Ondine" cover "Ondine" ed Albin Michel, 2012 
Gouache and oil on paper 43 x 75 cm Inspired by the Pre-Raphaelites, of course, Millais, Rossetti & Waterhouse

From what I can gather, amazing illustrator Benjamin Lacombe is hard at work on a book retelling the tale of Ondine (or Undine), another of my favorite tales (yes, I have many.)

While there's not much information on his blog beyond this, posted on December 31  last year...

The image of this Card is extracted from my upcoing book, to be published in spring in France by Albin Michel, Ondine (I'll talk about soon) ..

... his Faceboook has a small collection of stunning artwork from the book, with the most recent painting posted just this Thursday. I've included the various notes per image he wrote regarding titles, inspirations and a nice teaser for the last image posted here.

© Image Benjamin Lacombe 
"The Nightmare" 2012 
Gouache & Oil on paper 

Ondine (ed Albin Michel, 2012)

 According to his notes the book will simply be titled Ondine and it appears that he's doing both the writing and the illustrating (no confirmation available) . Although the chances of an English edition are slim, I can still hope. In the meantime, the French edition is definitely going on my wish list and Spring in France, which is the release is planned for, is very soon...

© Image Benjamin Lacombe 
Portrait of Ondine, 2012 
Gouache and oil on paper 43 x75cm 
Extracted from Ondine Ed Albin Michel

© Image Benjamin Lacombe. Extracted from "Ondine" ed Veil 
"Loss" 2012 
Gouache and oil on paper This image appears in a surprising way (and in 3 parts) in the book, you'll see!

Wouldn't it be amazing to see these paintings in person?

Frankly, I don't really care what languages the book is available in as long as I can get one. Gorgeous.

NBC's Grimm Tackles A Princess & the Dragon Story

Tonight's episode is called "Plumed Serpent" but with Juliette being abducted by a fire-breathing creature it's pretty clear Nick has to rescue his princess from the dragon - literally.

With Pixar's Brave "I'll rescue myself" heroine on the way and Snow White in armor coming to theaters as well there is a lot of focus on the idea of "We finally have a princess that doesn't need a prince to save her!" I'm very happy to see this trend with regard to family movies and potential role models for girls. Even the mousiest and most retiring women I've met (and I've met a sad few) seem to harbor this secret wish they were stronger, sassier and could hold their own. (I say "even the mousiest" because, though you'd think they'd be the ones to faint if they ever saw a real weapon, I've found these women, even more than the rebels, are the ones fantasizing they could pick it up and use it.) I remember the first time I realized this. It helped me understand that despite all the apparent equality women have today, many still feel powerless and wish they didn't.

But while I'm cheering as much as everyone else about the heroine in Brave in particular, I have to say this one thing - and it's a touchy subject: Is it so bad to be rescued when you really need rescuing?

Elenor Abbott

When it comes down to it, everyone needs rescuing sometime (even our beloved kick-some-serious-butt Buffy!) and that includes every guy I've ever met. To NOT be rescued when you really need it is devastating but here's the thing: rescuing is rarely a one-man show. At the very least some cooperation is required from the rescue-ee. (And don't get me started about rescue-ees who don't really want to be rescued...) The problem I have is when people insist girls/women need to be rescued all the time and don't give us the option to participate (also known as "help"). Women may not always come in swords flashing with the tactical savvy of a well-trained samurai but just because we're not Navy Seals doesn't mean we're helpless either. What's worse than people assuming this about women is when women assume this about themselves. THAT'S the part I have a problem with.

Corey Godbey

The whole objection to having princesses waiting to be rescued is actually two-fold: the first, rarely discussed, part is where the princess allows herself to be put in the position of needing rescuing in the first place. Crap happens to everyone and even the smartest and most on-guard person can be forced into helplessness against their will but what we really want - need - is for girls and women to take ownership (and responsibility) of their situations as much as possible and stop being quite as vulnerable and therefore not need as much rescuing. The second part, where the "action" happens, is rarely as cut and dried as "you helpless/me rescue" - ask anyone who has ever been a victim of violence - but it's often portrayed that way in entertainment. Ultimately this does us all a disservice.

Edward Burne-Jones

Ideally we want everyone - men and women - to take whatever responsibility they can for their own safety and for the safety of those they care for, on every level. There will be times when we could all use a rescuing hand but that doesn't mean we have to be passive about it. It's like opportunity: it should be taken when it comes but you need to be prepared for it, because after that, the rest is up to you.

I'm aware this is the second post on the topic of women and violence (or women and passivity) in two days but I hope it's clear I'm not against "chicks with weapons". (Heck, I have a couple!) What I'm concerned about is having people - men and women - be forced into one extreme or other without allowing them to find their own balance according to their personality, strengths and weaknesses, which differ for everyone. Equally as important is taking responsibility for yourself as much as you can, no matter what situation you're in.

*steps down off soapbox*

I'm curious to see how this hot-button topic of a princess in need of rescue is handled in Grimm this week. I hope there are some twists, some surprises and that there's more to this episode than killing the dragon to save the girl.

Here's the promo note: the original link apparently expired after the show aired so I'm replacing it with a YouTube version of the same):

I'm sure there are a bazillion excellent articles on the topic that have probably said things much better than I just have  - or perhaps made arguments on the other end of the spectrum that should be considered - so if you know of one feel free to put the link in the comments so we can all have a read. 

In the meantime I have to go do my workout and sharpen the tip of my foil... :)

Snow White In Armor

UPDATE 3/1-12:

FYFairyTales Tumblr host, Natasha, kindly wrote me a mail after this post went live and gave me permission to publish it here, so please find her mail below the original post and if you want to join in the discussion you can do that here in the comments on this blog, or on her Tumblr account HERE. :)

If you read my previous post on 500 Rediscovered Fairy Tales & a Hollywood Article: Hollywood Fairy Tale Feeding Frenzy and read the Hollywood article I was referencing you may have noticed that the writer had some issues with Snow White getting her bad on and suiting up in armor in Snow White and the Huntsman. 


He's not the first person I've heard object to the idea and I admit I have my reservations about it too. I didn't post on this as planned back in January but it's still a relevant topic and more people may start asking the question the closer the film gets to being released. My hesitation regarding the image is not because Snow White should remain pure and dainty (not at all!) but the idea that she can only save herself/be effective/make a difference by becoming as much of a man as she can. It's not as simple as girls shouldn't fight either, because some girls can and do, very well (take it from a girl who fences). I'm not jumping up and down just yet as I have to see how the movie plays out with respect to this but it's something I will be watching for with a critical eye.

One of the fairy tale image blogs I have in the sidebar (FYFairyTales), which normally has very little text, had a number of posts discussing the issue and made a lot of great points.

 After a couple of comments from the blogger focusing on the fact of Snow White wearing armor, the blogger responds to a reader question:

Anonymous asked:

Why do you have issues with giving Snow White armor?

There are several fairy tales where the heroines sort their problems by being resourceful and witty, on their own. There are others, like Snow White, that they rely on men to solve their predicaments. There is nothing wrong with either. They both resonate with children and adults for different reasons and both have their points.

I wouldn’t have a problem with Snow White fighting back her stepmother, at all. But when you put a character like that, that is traditionally helpless, in armor, you are saying that she has to resort to masculine features to solve her problems, like war and brute force. She either is helpless or she has to become masculine - there is no middle ground at all. And there should be.

I think it’s too much of a stretch for a character like Snow White. Once I took a psychology class where the instructor explained how Snow White was a story that showed metaphorically the maturing of a girl into womanhood. If you change that and put so many masculine features into such a feminine character, what are you telling young girls? That there is no place to be a woman and find your space in the world — in order to do that, you have to be more like a man.

Finally, I think the scriptwriters did that just because it supposedly “worked” in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, and they’re aiming for the same audience, and also trying to reach Twilight fans at the same time. It seems to be laziness more than anything else. But it does bother me.

I’m willing to watch the film and see how that develops. Maybe I’m wrong and the plot will work out somehow. But every time I see Kristen Stewart in armor, it just gives me the shivers. 

This is just the beginning of a lot of interesting points about Snow White and about strong females in general. It seems as if the blogger had even more ideas on the topic so perhaps she will return to post on the subject as the movie gains momentum.

You can read the whole discussion HERE.

In case you haven't seen it, there is a new Japanese movie trailer for Snow White and the Huntsman which focuses on the action and conflict, with lots of dramatic images, fight scenes and driving music.

What do you think? Does it bother you as well?

ADDED 3/10/12

Extract from a mail sent to me and published here by kind permission of FYFairyTales Tumblr host Natasha (I've edited slightly for language & to keep the comments focused on the post content):

HI Gipsy!  

I am Natasha Madov, who runs the F*** Yeah Fairy Tales tumblr. 

Thanks for putting the discussion up in your blog. I haven't really followed up the discussion yet, although I wanted to reply to one reader's interesting points about gender crossing, because I wanted to wait and see more, maybe new trailers or photos, or maybe even wait for the film. I was also thinking about the whole thing, my own views on the question of gender, also, discussing this with some people whose opinions I value -- one of them mentioned that the problem might be less with the agression implied in the armor, but the fact that she hides her feminility inside it. It would be less about masculine/feminine, and more about showing or hiding who you are in order to do what you need to do. 

"Mirror Mirror" is about to premiere soon, so the discussion is bound to start again. It has been interesting to see the reactions and the answers around it, and how, even if it bothers you and me, it does ressonate with other people enough to defend it. I just hope the movie rises to the occasion of this whole discussion.
Feel free to post this in your blog, and please overlook any mistakes -- English is not my native language and I wrote this in a bit of a hurry. 

All the best,
Natasha