Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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:
WilsonFrickett · 02/12/2011 15:48

But if your boy does want to wear a pink fairies tee shirt (and good on him) he's hardly going to be put off by the fact it's from the 'girls' aisle, is he?

Gendered clothing isn't sexist because - in itself - it doesn't disadvantage one group of people over another. Obviously, within that, certain items of clothing may promote sexism (by being sexually inappropriate, or carrying heavily gender-loaded slogans) but to label all children's clothing sexist because it's gendered is U.

Original poster
entropygirl · 02/12/2011 15:48

gah all right I cracked under the intense pressure...I have a .....girl. I just think its harder for boys to feel they have a free choice to express themselves than girls.

OP posts:
ginmakesitallok · 02/12/2011 15:48

I don't think I've EVER seen a "boys clothes" label or a "girls clothes" one???? I don't think different genders wearing different clothes is sexist - would you rather we all wore grey boiler suits?? If it bugs you that much shop in Primark - the clothes tend to all be mixed up...

Original poster
entropygirl · 02/12/2011 15:49

What would actually be on AIBU if people got over there little bothers and got out more? That would seem to undermine the whole principle of the thing....

OP posts:
fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 02/12/2011 15:51

do you put dresses on your son?

BonnyBanks · 02/12/2011 15:51

Oh and my extremely masculine little boy does play with dolls, and a kitchen, and tiaras and plastic high heels. Just as my extremely feminine daughter loves cars, trains, the workbench, lego and football.

He would like to start a dancing class next year and my DH and I fully support that and quite frankly if he wanted to do it in a sparkly pink fairy tshirt we'd have no problem with it.

As it happens he doesn't.

MissPentChristmasBudget · 02/12/2011 15:51

Isn't it more that clothes for girls are inspired by women's fashions and clothes for boys are inspired by men's fashion? So the gender split is a result of the equivalent split in men's/women's fashions, rather than because boys must wear x kind of clothes and girls must wear y?

Original poster
entropygirl · 02/12/2011 15:52

I would rather that boys could wear pink skirts if they wanted to. I am against stereotyping in general and think that supermarkets are Not Helping.

OP posts:
Original poster
entropygirl · 02/12/2011 15:53

fanjo Dresses on Boys? Good grief is that even legal?? If I had a boy (I dont) and if he wanted to wear dresses I would absolutely let him.

OP posts:
MissPentChristmasBudget · 02/12/2011 15:54

Supermarkets aren't there to help though, they're there to sell stuff. So they market things and arrange their stock in the way that will appeal to the majority of customers. Of course it's sort of a vicious cycle because the supermarkets are, in a way, enforcing the gender stereotype in people's minds by doing this.

Original poster
entropygirl · 02/12/2011 15:55

yup I totally agree with that on all levels......

It isnt supermarkets job to assist in social equality but it is the Nanny states. I think there should be a law against sexist marketing

OP posts:
nickelbabe · 02/12/2011 15:56

I agree with entropy entirely - mine's not even born yet and people are already trying to enforce gender stereotypes onto iot.
"if it's a boy, we'll have to get him a football strip"
"if it's a girl, you'll get to dress her in lovely pretty frilly pink dresses"

why?

Original poster
entropygirl · 02/12/2011 15:56

gin everytime I buy babygros they come up as 'Boys Babygro' on the checkout.

OP posts:
CrunchyFrog · 02/12/2011 15:57

I do hate it. Bootcut jeans for 3 month olds, FGS.

I get stuff (mainly second hand) from WAHMs and some companies like Molo which are less obviously gendered. But I did have a moment when DS2 wanted pink Peppa Pig trainers (complete with sparkles.) I would have bought them, but they didn't have them in his size, and I confess I was relieved. (Just the thought of constantly having to explain it - he was only 2 so I wasn't worried about bullying or anything!)

samstown · 02/12/2011 15:58

Why not? Its fun!

ginmakesitallok · 02/12/2011 15:58

But there's a difference between "sexist" and "gender appropriate" no? And what is "gender appropriate" is defined by culture. So culturally it's not appropriate for boys/men to wear dresses - not saying they can't, but that culturally it is not the norm. Supermarkets are responding to the cultural norm, not causing it. If supermarkets started putting all the clothes together do you really think more boys would be wearing dresses??

ginmakesitallok · 02/12/2011 15:59

It might come up at the checkout- but by then you've already chosen it. Has anyone ever put anything back because their till receipt says its for the opposite sex?

Original poster
entropygirl · 02/12/2011 15:59

I didnt get to know the sex in advance (legs crossed) and so many people told me that it was terrible that I wouldnt be able to buy the right clothes in advance...

I spent a lot of time telling people that in fact male babies can wear female babygros/vests and vice versa because they are identical fits.

OP posts:
samstown · 02/12/2011 16:00

Yes I agree gin and there are cultures all around the world where men and women dress differently.

Original poster
entropygirl · 02/12/2011 16:01

gin yes I think I am using the wrong words.....

My local s'buries does have separate aisles for girl babies and boy babies.

OP posts:
samstown · 02/12/2011 16:01

I didnt know what I was having before he was born and I had absolutely no problem buying gender neutral babygros etc from Next, Mothercare, Boots etc.

BonnyBanks · 02/12/2011 16:01

My little boy does have a skirt which hewears with pride, last time he wore it Daddy, Uncle and both Grandfathers had one in too. They all looked extremely handsome (or beautiful if you prefer).

Ok OP but the following your analogy (which I still think is a bit shakey) for ethnicity people just choose the clothes appropriate to their particular traditions or shop in specialist shops. There is a choice - as there is with gender.

Ps would it make you feel better that I dress my son in tights if it is very cold?

Original poster
entropygirl · 02/12/2011 16:02

I have no problem with men and women dressing differently - they are adults they get to pick what to wear (would be nice if men in dresses didnt get the abuse they do but hey).

There is no reason for babies to be dressed differently according to sex. So I think it is sex(ism-confused now) to do so.

OP posts:
BonnyBanks · 02/12/2011 16:02

Vivi - how interesting!

More adjustable waists please! :)

Traceymac2 · 02/12/2011 16:03

Supermarkets cater for the masses. If there was no demand for this then I am sure that they would adapt their clothing ranges to meet whatever the demand was. Yes they do reinforce the gender stereo types suppose but if people didn't want to buy these items the supermarkets wouldn't produce them. I think to call this sexism is a bit extreme, the term holds a different meaning to my understanding, that is more about negatively discriminating against a group of people. I couldn't steer my dd1 away from pink even if I tried! I have offered her alternatives and she always chooses the pink! We had a cupcake in a cafe earlier and she even chose one with pink icing!

Swipe left for the next trending thread