Why Fairy Tales Shouldn’t End With “Happily Ever After’

When I was growing up, I always wanted to be a princess. Why not? Those were the stories that I was raised with, and I loved to fantasize about beautiful dresses and magical castles. Raising two boys, I haven’t thought much about princesses as an adult. But I’ve noticed lately that it has become unpopular for girls to aspire to be princesses. I started to wonder why. I understand this impulse comes from wanting to empower girls, and I love that. It is vital that we inspire the next generation of women to be powerful and confident. But it’s made me realize that those fairy tales I grew up with didn’t do a good job telling a whole story. It’s time that a more complete story was told—what happens after “happily ever after.”

As a former princess, I went on to become Head of ETFS at Invesco. I’d like to believe that those other princesses created a similar future for themselves. What if I told you that Sleeping Beauty went on to enact laws centered around diversity and inclusion? Let’s face it, if her parents had invited the Evil Witch to the christening ceremony to begin with, she would not have been cursed. Sleeping Beauty recruited the Evil Witch as an advisor and her kingdom became the wealthiest and happiest place in history.?

Snow White, on the other hand, invested a significant amount of capital in medical research and development, became the CEO of PoisonedApple, Inc. and created antidotes to every known lethal potion. ?

Cinderella became the CEO of a nonprofit organization fighting child abuse and neglect, and Belle became an internet sensation with her website looksaredeceiving.org and is still teaching her followers not to judge a book by its cover.?

Do these endings sound outlandish? That’s because our stories have for too long asked women to choose between different identities. We are told that women can be beautiful and gentle, smart and quiet, tough and loud—not all of the above. But why should that be the case? I have certainly been all of those things in my life. Today, I believe that women should be empowered not just to succeed, but to do so on their own terms. I work hard and have earned the respect of my peers, and I expect them to accept me in a suit or a ball gown (if the occasion warrants).

What I dream of is a world in which a little girl dreaming of being a princess—like me—will see no contradiction between their daydreams and their real-world ambitions. For inspiration, I like to think of Hedy Lamarr, the famed Austrian-born American film actress and inventor. She was both a glamorous bombshell on the screen and a talented genius who pioneered technology that formed the basis for WiFi and GPS.

Women should bring their whole selves to whatever they do, be it acting, inventing, finance, or something else. ?We are already seeing what happens when women are empowered to do so: they change the world around them for the better. In finance, we are seeing that women are putting their dollars into causes they care about, increasing interest in ESG investing. They are part of a movement that is increasing the prevalence of gender lens investing. And they are showing today’s girls what the end of the story can look like. It’s so much better than happily ever after—it’s a full picture of a life well lived, as a princess, a financial leader, and in my case, both.

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This does not constitute a recommendation of any investment strategy or product for a particular investor. Investors should consult a financial professional before making any investment decisions.

All investing involves risk, including the risk of loss.?

The opinions referenced above are those of the author as of Feb. 1, 2022. These comments should not be construed as recommendations, but as an illustration of broader themes.??