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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think its sexist to split baby, toddler and young kids clothes into 'for boys' and 'for girls'?

209 replies

entropygirl · 02/12/2011 15:14

So obvs for older kids and for men and women there are anatomical differences that mean it is valid to split clothes by gender, but that difference does not exist for younger kids.

I think supermarkets in particular could do something better than reinforce gender stereotypes for babies...

OP posts:
ladyintheradiator · 02/12/2011 15:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Kayano · 02/12/2011 15:34

Ffs this is ridiculous now

OldGreyWassailTest · 02/12/2011 15:34

Ah well, according to your name OP soon we will all be the same - size, weight, colour, religion, there'll be no sex differences. So I wouldn't worry if I were you!

AntiqueAnteater · 02/12/2011 15:34

i know! lets all wear grey sacks and then the fems will be happy

no poncing them up now, and no smiling between the hours of 6 am and 10 pm

AFuckingFestiveKnackeredWoman · 02/12/2011 15:36

is you child called storm

WorraLiberty · 02/12/2011 15:36

worra yup when people are treated the same regardless of sex I will indeed be happy

And what on earth does that have to do with how supermarkets supply their clothes? Hmm

You may indeed be happy, but thank goodness it's unlikely to happen...even if some people would be delighted to see baby boys with pink ribbons in their hair.

samstown · 02/12/2011 15:38

But what essentially is wrong with identifying yourself as a specific gender by the clothes you wear. Why cant feminists allow women to celebrate being themselves, and just strive for equality as women? Why do men and women have the be the same because I hate to break it to you love, but they just aint!

Original poster
entropygirl · 02/12/2011 15:38

antique ARGHHH noooo cant possibly have boys in pink can we....next they will be playing with dolls....

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 02/12/2011 15:38

My last post was unclear, I mean 'thank goodness it's unlikely that supermarkets will do this to make you happy'

Original poster
entropygirl · 02/12/2011 15:39

The idea is that you can pick the clothes you like whatever that might be without anyone telling you which that should be.

Sure have T-shirts of all colours but dont tell me which are for boys and girls unless they are a VERY different shape.

OP posts:
PeppaPigHostage · 02/12/2011 15:39

But I don't want all people to wear the same type of clothes. I want to wear female clothes and so does my eldest DD (youngest still to young to express opinion).

I think equality should be granted no matter what people are wearing, neither my daughters or I should have to change the clothes we wear to receive it.

Equality is about being the same, its about being treated the same.

Feminine · 02/12/2011 15:40

I think you are pissed off because the boy section is limited and you have them.

Or...you have girls and fancy a nice pair of cream cords but the fit is too masculine Grin

samstown · 02/12/2011 15:40

Why are the feminists ashamed to be identified as a woman?

Original poster
entropygirl · 02/12/2011 15:40

I think a 5 yo boy should be able to pick a t-shirt with pink fairys on it and glitter if thats what attracts him. I dont think he will do that if he has to pick it off a shelf that says 'girls'.

OP posts:
Original poster
entropygirl · 02/12/2011 15:41

I would like supermarkets to stop telling kids they are wrong.

OP posts:
EdithWeston · 02/12/2011 15:41

"I have yet to find a supermarket with a Chav aisle"

I find many of them have nothing but Chav aisles.....

More seriously, I see this as a symptom of the throwaway society. If you were buying clothes to last and be worn by all your DCs and perhaps some random cousins too, you'd buy more neutral styles. Retailers are only interested in getting you to buy more. Highly gendered items is one way of doing that.

BonnyBanks · 02/12/2011 15:41

Entropy did you mean to sound so snippy?

As I clearly stated I was giving you an opinion based on my experience... as one might expect on a public internet forum. I didn't say it was definitive. Feel free to conduct extensive research to prove me wrong. Or even (if you have a child of each gender) tell me that your experience differs but it is really a bit rude to dismiss my comments out of hand just because I didn't agree.

Ps Please excuse me but I fail to see the parallels between gender and ethnicity in this context.

PeppaPigHostage · 02/12/2011 15:43

"The idea is that you can pick the clothes you like whatever that might be without anyone telling you which that should be"

I do pick the clothes I want, so does DD1, she has a very impressive collection of dinosaur and robot tshirts. She then accessorises them with fairy wings and necklaces. She gets her sense of style from me sadly Wink

ViviPrudolf · 02/12/2011 15:43

As a childrenswear designer for supermarket chains, I feel I should be able to contribute some constructive input into this debate.

Nope. Nada. I got nuthin.

troisgarcons · 02/12/2011 15:44

Wasnt the OP the one who upset everyone with her breast feeding comments a couple of weeks ago?

Feminine · 02/12/2011 15:45

You do have a boy don't you?

buy the glittery bits ...I would ...who cares what the shop dictates?

Original poster
entropygirl · 02/12/2011 15:45

Bonny Sorry for sounding snippy I was simply stating that I was unwilling to take the difference in build of your children as evidence that there is a general difference in build between young children.

The parallel to ethnicity is that while there may well exist preferences in style due to ethnic background it would be considered racist to have a rack in the supermarket labelled 'trousers for white people'. Because there are no overriding physical differences so that would be racism.

So although there may well exist preferences for different styles due to sex, I believe it is sexist (sexism?? am totally confused by that comment) to have two racks of babygros, one for boys and one for girls.

OP posts:
Feminine · 02/12/2011 15:47

OP with all due respect.

I think you need to chill.

WorraLiberty · 02/12/2011 15:47

The idea is that you can pick the clothes you like whatever that might be without anyone telling you which that should be

Then just bloody ignore them and let the rest of us know where the boy/girl sections are...to save us hunting through every bit of clothing in the store just to suit you Hmm

They're separated for ease of shopping.

samstown · 02/12/2011 15:48

I think you need to get out more OP if these are the worst of your worries.

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