There has been a lot of buzz lately surrounding gender roles in our culture. Once clearly defined, many people now frown upon common stereotypes. Girls like pink. Boys like dirt. It was pretty simple. And if you were the boy caught playing with a Barbie, God help you... and his parents. For there was no doubt venturing outside these strict guidelines led to utter confusion or worse, homosexuality.
Today, in reasonable society, we are a bit more forgiving when it comes to our children's interests. Should they stray into a gray area, we are told to nurture and encourage. All kids are different and their passions are as well. Boys can play with dolls, of course. Girls will get dirty. (I did!) Where I have a problem with this is when I see parents blatantly trying to push an agenda. To me, there is a big difference between "I want my kid to know that we're all different and that's great!" and "I'm going to dress my little boy in girl's clothes because F*** society." That's you, not him. He doesn't even know what society is.
My little girl is the girliest girl I know. Sure, I'm guilty of buying her pink dresses. I paint her nails. We watch My Little Pony. But I've never once told her her choice is wrong. If she chooses the pink, frou frou backpack, I say, "Good choice." Likewise, if she chooses Batman, I'd say, "Awesome!" I want her to know both worlds. There are no set boundaries. She can be who she wants. If she wants to be the girliest girl, so be it. And while there may be some folks who may turn up their nose at a so-called Princess Culture, I will, again, never tell her she's wrong. To me, she is a princess. She was born that way. And she's perfect.
Today, in reasonable society, we are a bit more forgiving when it comes to our children's interests. Should they stray into a gray area, we are told to nurture and encourage. All kids are different and their passions are as well. Boys can play with dolls, of course. Girls will get dirty. (I did!) Where I have a problem with this is when I see parents blatantly trying to push an agenda. To me, there is a big difference between "I want my kid to know that we're all different and that's great!" and "I'm going to dress my little boy in girl's clothes because F*** society." That's you, not him. He doesn't even know what society is.
My little girl is the girliest girl I know. Sure, I'm guilty of buying her pink dresses. I paint her nails. We watch My Little Pony. But I've never once told her her choice is wrong. If she chooses the pink, frou frou backpack, I say, "Good choice." Likewise, if she chooses Batman, I'd say, "Awesome!" I want her to know both worlds. There are no set boundaries. She can be who she wants. If she wants to be the girliest girl, so be it. And while there may be some folks who may turn up their nose at a so-called Princess Culture, I will, again, never tell her she's wrong. To me, she is a princess. She was born that way. And she's perfect.
 |
| Add caption |
Comments
Post a Comment