5 Fairy Tales with Gay Happily Ever Afters
Article written by Maya Vukovska
Some fairy tales are about social injustice: Cinderella’s evil stepmother robs the girl of her prestigious social status to make her an underpaid domestic worker. Others are about fighting body-shaming: The 7 dwarfs accept Snow White in their home and their hearts although she is a gigantic gal, and Belle doesn’t discriminate against the Beast because of his disfigured face and body. But most of those stories are about romance. You know, a boy meets a girl, and after a series of hardships and obstacles, they eventually get married and live happily ever after.
It’s a shame though that the couples are always, always hetero. Or… are they?
Mulan
Disney’s Mulan is a young woman living in ancient China, struggling to meet the strict expectations of her biological gender set by a strict patriarchal regime. She fears that her father who is in poor health will be drafted into the army, and decides to take his spot. Of course, she is unqualified to serve, so she becomes a warrior woman in the disguise of a man. Alas, in the movie, the traditional Chinese ideas of the original story are dismissed in favor of the Westernized idea of female empowerment, and Mulan's love interest in the face of the captain is added just to serve the stereotypical European cross-dressing humor. However, queer American people of Chinese origin are very much able to recognize bisexual heroine. Given that, one is able to analyze “Reflection” as a song that is pretty much about not fitting into womanhood.
Now I see
If I wear a mask
I can fool the world
But I cannot fool my heart
King and King
Where else than the Netherlands, the land of free spirit and free sex, а children’s picture book about royal gay love would have appeared! The plot is quite simple. A grouchy Queen pushes her son, Bertie, to get married. Although he makes it clear that he doesn’t care about princesses, he agrees to give marriage to a woman a shot. The mother organizes something like a cast for the Prince’s hand, and princesses from all over the world start marching through the castle. They are all pretty and talented but still fail to impress the Prince. Until the day when Princess Madeleine shows up. She is accompanied by her brother, Prince Lee. It’s love at first sight. The wedding of Lee and Bertie is attended by all the rejected princesses and their families, and the Queen can finally relax. At the end of the story, the newlyweds share a passionate kiss.
Prince & Knight
This is the story about a prince in line to take the throne in a kingdom far, far away. As the tradition goes, his parents go on a quest for finding the son a worthy wifey. The family travels the land, but the prince is never satisfied with the choices he is presented with. While they are away looking for a bride for the future king, their land is invaded by a horrendous dragon. The prince rushes back to save the kingdom from the enemy - a courageous task in which he’s joined by a knight in shining armor. Side by side, they fight the beast and find love in a most unexpected place - in each other’s arms!
This modern fairy tale is written by Daniel Haack and was first published in 2018 by Little Bee Books.
The Dog and the Sailor
Believe it or not, this absolutely charming folktale has been lost for two centuries. As we understand, it was canceled by some homophobic guy back in the 1950s. The story, however, has been rediscovered by a British writer and illustrator, and givens a new life.
In a world of magical creatures, hot-headed Ruan breaks free from his dull, monotonous life to become a tailor’s apprentice. However, his journey across the ocean takes a dreadful turn, and thanks to a mysterious dog he meets by chance, he escapes great danger. But only to embark on a wild adventure together with his new companion…
The Happy Prince
It is a commonplace critical claim that “male love” is a recurring theme in certain of Oscar Wilde’s works. And although in “The Happy Prince” there are no explicit homosexual characters, homosexual and homoerotic undertones can be easily recognized. The Prince in this famous fairytale lives as a recluse in a castle where sorrow and sadness are forbidden from entering. From his tall monument, however, the Prince witnesses scenes of people suffering in poverty. He is so shattered that he asks the Swallow, an unfortunate bird left behind by his flock, to make the sapphires from his eyes and the gold covering his body to give to the poor.
If you haven’t read the tale yet, there won’t any more spoilers. I’ll just say that the ending doesn’t involve a jolly wedding and a “happily ever after” scenario.
