Ds is 2 and has long hair (past shoulder length, with a fringe).
I love it but will probably cut it when it starts to be too long to be practical, or in the summer if he's getting very warm, or whatever.
He gets called a girl by strangers sometimes, which doesn't bother me. Sometimes I correct them, sometimes I don't bother.
But how do I respond to the following.. With a male friend.
Friend: his hairs getting really long
Me: lush, isn't it?
Friend:(pulls face) probably too long
Me: why? It doesn't tangle or get in his eyes
Friend:...
Me: you think he looks like a girl, don't you?
Friend:... Yes
Me:what's wrong with that? What's wrong with girls?
Friend:nothing's wrong with girls, it's just that... He's a boy
Me: so? Yes he's a boy, but plenty of boys have long hair and girls have short hair
Friend: yes, you have short hair
Me: yes, so what's wrong with a boy having long hair?
Friend: (pulls face again) he looks like a girl
Me: and that's a bad thing...?
Friend: it is a bad thing if he's a boy.
Am I right to think "because he looks like a girl" isn't really a good enough reason to cut it when you think about what it means, like appearing to be female is a bad thing or something? What was my friend trying to say and how can I better explain my feelings?
It's not just one friend, this has happened fairly regularly with different people and I'd like to be able to put my point across eloquently so they think about what they're implying a bit more.
Fwiw ds is about as stereotypically 'boyish' as you can get aged 2 and wears gender neutral or boyish clothes. I don't think he looks like a girl, but I can't see why it even matters at this age?
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Feminism: Sex & gender discussions
how to explain... Long hair is for 'girls'
43 replies
ValerieTheHorse · 14/02/2016 11:04
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