Gender neutral clothes: Yay or nay?
More parents are opting to dress their children in gender-neutral clothing these days, because pink is not just for girls, and blue is not just for boys.
Gender neutral clothing is fast becoming
the norm in many parts of the world, with stores popping up here in South
Africa as well.
Some famous moms like Megan Fox and Charlize Theron have been known to dress their sons in clothes typically made for girls, like a 'Snow White' dress or 'Frozen' gown.
There are many reasons why moms and dads are breaking gender stereotypes, but it seems most just want their little ones to grow up in a world where they are not kept in a box that dictates what they can wear or do based on their gender.
Some parents are ditching clothes based on gender because they feel that girls are being taught from a very early age that they need to be cute, pretty, and feminine. This, some fear, could lead to them obsessing about their looks, or becoming insecure about their appearance as they grow or develop eating disorders.
While girls are dressing up like princesses, boys get to be masculine and carefree with slogan tees like “rules don’t apply to me” or “tough like daddy”. Try this test: Google ‘slogan tees girls’ and then ‘slogan tees boys’, and see what you come up with. You will be alarmed at the messages we are sending out to girls, compared to the ones for boys.
While boys are encouraged to get dirty outside, because “boys will be boys”, girls are often taught to keep their clothes clean at all times, because “a lady always looks her best”.
Gender neutral clothing is not about telling girls they shouldn’t wear pink, or boys that they shouldn’t wear blue, but it’s really about letting them know that they can be whoever they want to be, and there are options outside the stereotypes associated with their genders.
If girls want to be princesses, that’s okay. If they want to dress up in dinosaur t-shirts or tops with soccer balls, then that is okay as well.
Many people seem more accepting of girls wearing clothes traditionally made for boys, but get uncomfortable when boys show interest in wearing "female-themed" clothing.
What are your thoughts on gender neutral clothing? Yay or nah?
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