The Cinderella Complex: Are Females Waiting to Be Saved?

The shot heard around the world was when the famous feminist Gloria Steinem got married. In spite of all the protesting, demonstrations and the like the infamous Steinem was married. Which begs the question-do all women want to (in spite of what we project or think) be taken by a man? From a very young age in America as girls we reads story upon story about female heroines being rescued by a man or at least having a male love interest. Cinderella had Prince Charming, Snow White also had a Prince Charming, Sleeping Beauty had Prince Phillip a.k.a Prince Charming, Jasmine had Aladdin, Ariel had Prince Eric, and well, Beauty Belle had the Beast who eventually turned into a prince. In the story lines none of these females would have made progress from a sticky situation if it weren't for their Prince. This leads to the question does a reliance on men (even when women try to reject it) weigh so heavily that women will feel like miserable failures if we don't find our own prince?

From the beginning of time people in societies across the globe were taught that men were providers and women were nurturers. Of course views on this will inevitably vary due to environmental factors including upbringing, parental guidance, values systems, and personal choice. For example if you were raised in a household where your parents were divorced your view of gender roles may be different from someone who was raised in a two parent household. Additionally if you were on your own from a young age you might be fiercely independent and find security only in relying upon yourself. If you come from a dysfunctional household where the gender roles were constantly shifting or never defined you may find yourself confused about what role men and women should have.

Can it really be so wrong to want to hold onto the idea that Prince Charming might actually come along? Is it anti-feminist or anti-woman to want a man in your life that could care for you and provide in a way to help you out? Isn't it the ultimate feminist statement to say "I'm going to do what I want with whom I want on my terms"? Females have an innate sense of how to nurture others and care without instruction. Likewise some men have the ability and sense of providing for another. In a perfect world men and women could somehow merge these instincts and provide or one another in different ways seamlessly. This isn't a perfect world though, right?