Little Pink Shoes

[AiA in Atlanta]

Photograph Of Little Boy Wearing Pink Shoes To Preschool Sparks Heated Blogosphere Debate



On one hand, if he likes the shoes let him wear them. On the other hand, he chances he will be bullied are pretty high.

[mantra]

My neighbour had a very feminine little boy who loved pink clothes. His twin sisters wore anything masculine. His mother used to call him her little each way bet. He insisted on wearing fluffy pink slippers to a primary school dance once to the horror of all the little macho boys. He didn't care about the taunting and just did his own thing.

Seventeen years later and he's a diesel mechanic and has had a g/f for years. One of his sisters is gay, but she escaped unnoticed until she grew up. Girls can wear what they like and no-one cares, but if a little boy wears anything feminine - he's immediately tagged.

Good on those children who aren't scared to be different.

[Super Nova]

I totally agree with you Mantra.

Let them be kids. It's not only homophobia that is imposed their are many adult attitudes we impose without really realising it.

[IQS.RLOW]

As a parent, it would be your duty to explain to your child the consequences of his actions and decisions.

From a father to a son, a reminder of what teasing can occur- eg Shall we get you a new dress to go with your pretty shoes son? How about some ribbons in your hair and the we can book you into ballet class?

But im guessing this kid probably has a single mother or lesbian as a male figure. Gender roles are important for a child's development and no amount of PC bullshit will change that.

Then let him wear them if he wants...he'll only do it once

[Rorschach]

I don't think kids his age think of sex and gender as such.
He might like the shoes.
But then as a parent I probably wouldn't let him wear them to school.
Maybe he should have been told they were girls shoes?

Mind you, it's not as bad as that German? guy who dressed his son in a dress.

[IQS.RLOW]

Gender roles can be shown from any age...but aside from that, someone bought him those shoes and made sure they were the right size.

Personally, I find it a form of child abuse.

[AiA in Atlanta]

Maybe kids are different now (but I doubt it) but I wouldn't have made it 10 minutes before being laughed at or worse had I worn pink shoes as a kid. Yeah, in a perfect world kids wear just what they want to school and everyone loves them for it but in the real world this poor boy will be bullied.

[IQS.RLOW]

I bet the mother will be the first to complain and ask why her child was bullied and pushed into the girls change room by other boys and what the school proposes to do about it so he can continue to be a living advertisement for his mothers gender neutrality agenda

[Rorschach]

IQS I was using gender in the biological sense not a societal role.

Sex... the act. Gender the physical differences in the sexes. I know it can be pretty interchangeable.

[Neferti]

This is a pre-schooler so a 4 year old, right?

What attracted the little kid to pink "girl" shoes? If you have ever had children you might understand that. A tantrum might ensue if the child doesn't get the (perhaps $5 shoes?). Mother, stressed, gives in. Geeze.

I always tried the "reverse psychology" on my daughter and mostly it worked. She never, ever, threw herself to the floor at the Mall.

Oh, by the way you blokes with what my sister used to call "the dried arrangement".......... wearing PINK does not make you queer. Checking out arseholes (even dogs) does indicate that you are not "normal"