Cinderella

What a mindless tale. And to think we've been carrying it forward, generation after generation, telling it to our children, making movies out of it and keeping it alive forever. How terrible.
Cinderella teaches every girl to expect everything that will let her down and leave her unhappy. It starts with a pretty girl, as if pretty is the only way to be. It tells us to be as nice as possible to every last person until our heart tires simply from giving. It shows that it pays off to submissively do everything we're told, to make do with what we're given and find a way to smile despite all hardships. It plants hope in every young girl that her prince, her knight in shining armour will come and rescue her one day from her dull, drab life.
The truth is, life goes on no matter what you look like or how hard times are for you. Staying passive brings you nothing; you need to get yourself whatever you need. Kind people are taken advantage of and sacrifices are exploited. And more importantly than anything else, no one can ever save you but yourself.
Girls, take a stance. Fight for what you believe in. Be strong; never be disgusting enough to take pride in the feminity of your fear. Achieve things of your own accord. Don't be satisfied what what's already laid out for you. Take the responsibility, make your own fate.
If you're going to live, live big.

I'm going to end with a poem I wrote recently for a program on women empowerment:

What's it like to be the girl child?
Years of being told, be subdued, quiet and mild
Our ideas and dreams always met with a frown
Generations of being put down
Eons of suppression, turned to rage
And power that you cannot gauge.
Now is our time; we'll all aim for the sky
We'll make sure we walk with our head held high
Even if we're small,
We'll make sure we stand tall.