This time he was visiting Worthing Homes, the former housing department of Worthing Council, which was given over to private hands in order to become one of those "not for profit" organisations, that benefit from charitable status but have directors on ludicrously large salaries.
Here's the story:
The idea of encouraging kids to adhere to these outdated stereotypes of sex and class, I find repugnant, obviously young girls are forced by Disney and the media to believe that wearing pink will eventually lead to them to marry a rich and powerful man, when they should actually be encouraged to become more than merely someone's wife.
I understand that balancing a book on one's head can improve posture and reduce the likelihood of some spinal problems in later life, but suggesting that it could lead you to marry a frog has the potential to be quite damaging in the long term, and as a former children's minister he should have been given access to numerous reports that would clarify this in great detail. It's just a shame that he spent his time as minister promoting nothing but himself and a crusade against a dead 70's TV freak.
Here he is, teaching youngsters that they should look to marry instead of achieve.
Luckily for me in this respect, I grew up as a boy, so fairy tales to me involved shoving witches into ovens, which is something I still enjoy to this day whenever the opportunity arises, (which is not often enough, if you ask me), and other wholesome outdoor pursuits and adventures. I was never encouraged to go and find a princess and marry her in order to become one of the "handsome" Princes, (which is another myth it appears), as in order to be a prince you had to be born into the role.
The idea that by balancing a book on your head can improve your social standing in some way is crazy, and as responsible people we should be encouraging kids to formulate a contingency plan in case marrying a rich inbred isn't a viable option for them, as they probably are not a member of the outdated aristocratic hierarchy or ruling political elite, and so are unlikely to ever have that easy and unfulfilling option come their way. Surely they would lead a far more fulfilling and useful life by reading the books instead of putting them on their heads. How many princesses have discovered cures for diseases, made scientific breakthroughs or done anything else useful to the world and it's inhabitants? (and don't even think of suggesting that "using their position to raise awareness" crap)
He told them all about meeting the Queen did he? Well, we all remember from our fairy tales that the Queen was always wicked, and this one is clearly no exception, as she takes more cash each year whilst we all get less, and the divide grows larger.
Maybe he should be encouraging them to write to the Queen in order to ask her why their families have to sit in the cold and go hungry, whilst her and her brood are flitting between nice warm castles and draping themselves in the most expensive furs whilst gorging themselves on swans and other meals constructed from inhumanely produced ingredients.
TTFO
K
