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Original poster

John Lewis removing gendered sections in kids clothing

572 replies

moutonfou · 02/09/2017 12:46

John Lewis has announced they are no longer having 'boys' and 'girls' clothing sections. Just kids clothing. Which to me sounds fair enough. I had to buy several football shirts from the boys section as a kid and always felt like they weren't 'for me' and that someone was going to notice and call me out on it.

On some of the news outlets' Facebook posts about this, there are the most OTT comments from people who seem to have interpreted this as an attempt to make all kids be 100% gender fluid, stop calling them boys and girls at all, make all boys wear dresses, etc etc.

AIBU to be frustrated that people can't see the value of just letting kids like what they like, and that it's not all some sinister agenda??

OP posts:
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reallyanotherone · 04/09/2017 19:43

The priest says this later on:

I don't care what your kid wears so long as they are taught the truth about sex (biology) and gender dealing with language

Well yes, that's kind of the point...kids should be able to wear anything they want and nobody should care...

I think he has the "trans" end of the stick...

MrsPeacockDidIt · 04/09/2017 19:58

This has come at just the right time for me. My 6 year old likes clothes from both sections. He has a skull t-shirt he likes to wear with a gold sequin jacket (and believe me he totally rocks the look). Other people won't stop commenting to us that he's in the "wrong" section or can't have a certain item because it's for girls. This won't stop people saying things when's he wearing them but it would make shopping nicer for him. And then of it takes off perhaps people WILL stop mentioning it when he's wearing certain clothing. A step in the right direction.

fridgepants · 04/09/2017 21:51

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the user's request.

TheAntiBoop · 04/09/2017 21:53

My 10yo ds loves playing with the Barbie dream house. Is he doomed?

GreenTulips · 04/09/2017 22:09

My 10yo ds loves playing with the Barbie dream house. Is he doomed?

Yes, please purchase a monster truck and take him to boxing clubs immediately

Lweji · 04/09/2017 22:13

I'll also admit here to having bought a red scarf for DS, because he was set on a red one and there was nothing on the boy's section. I think it had a flower on it, which I removed, so it wasn't obvious that it was supposed to be for girls.
Similar to some crocs. The only right size was clearly girls, but mostly black with some pink motifs. I bought them and painted over the pink bits.

It's kind of sad, actually, that I did pander to the boy/girl stereotype on those details, but I also don't see the point in drawing attention to DS. If he wants to do it when he's older, it would be up to him.

Wdigin2this · 04/09/2017 22:14

I think it's stupid, girls and boys are different, always were....and always will be!

Lweji · 04/09/2017 22:16

I think it's stupid, girls and boys are different, always were....and always will be!

Do you care to elaborate?

I was just going to add to my previous post that I removed the "girl" identification motifs because DS didn't want them. If he wanted them, then I'd have left them.

Gileswithachainsaw · 04/09/2017 22:21

I think it's stupid, girls and boys are different, always were....and always will be!

Every child is different with their own likes and dislikes and individual personalities.

But that's nothing to do with having a penis or a vagina.

Differences only exist in expectations and behaviour because people treat then differently depending on whether they dangle or not

GreenTulips · 04/09/2017 22:44

I think boys are girls are different but

We shouldn't push them into stereotypical gender roles to suit the manufacturers and TV advertisers.

There should be lego / cars/ kitchens / pushchairs/ clothes aimed at children so all children can experiment and feel comfortable playing with toys they enjoy playing with - not feeling they are using a hammer and they shouldn't - not pushing a pushchair and feeling 'it's for girls'

Parents shouldn't be worried if a boy asks for Barbie or a girl wants a monster truck

Unless we challenge theirs ridicules ideas then nothing will change.

I have fond memories of DS clip clacking in high heels and DD smashing lego towers - and why shouldn't they?

It's a start - but let's get rid of the sparkles fluff and 'big boy' Tshirts and let the kids be kids in comfortable clothes that do the job

ArcheryAnnie · 04/09/2017 23:53

Wdigin if your DS wanted a pink hat, or your DD wanted a dinosaur t-shirt, would you let them have them?

Because that's what all this is about, letting kids enjoy whatever clothes they like.

GreenTulips · 05/09/2017 00:18

And - being able to buy a pink hat that was only for girls (thinking heart flowers glitter) - why not a boys pink hat? Or a hat that's just you know a hat?

Why not a dinosaur tshirt that's green or yellow - why does it have to be dark blue or red?

Can it not be for 5 year olds?

There's loads of designers out there that could come up with fresh ideas for unisex clothing that isn't dull

lambchowder · 05/09/2017 08:40

This sort of thing will just end up in floral hat and dress clad boys (already happening,see that academy), the jeaned/pantsuited women is already old.

The entire discipline will result in simple role-reversal. Oh well, better than all unisex leotards.

GreenTulips · 05/09/2017 08:44

No it won't

It will be girls dressed in blue joggers and pink dinosaur tshirt and the boys dress in green joggers and yellow dinosaur tshirt

Girls will still wear dresses and some will even have Spider-Man on them, they will be able to by Minnie Mouse tshirts in any colour other than pink, they can even find Micky mouse tshirts in anything other than red

It's about choice - more choice - which is a good thing

Rufustherenegadereindeer1 · 05/09/2017 08:51

Ds2 has a cool pink trilby

It was in the mens section of marks

GreenTulips · 05/09/2017 08:54

A lots of the local football team and DS school team have pink astros and football boots

Given the choice they've chosen

Lifechallenges · 05/09/2017 09:02

The pink boots are cool as they are NIke boots. Nike is a very powerful brand in kids football. The boys don't register them as pink.
They are unisex football boots so that's ok. Some teams wear pink kits. Man City unisex new kids away kit is a lovely pink colour... hundreds of kits of both sexes are wearing it. Remove the boy/girl label and both happy to wear pink if they like it

kateandme · 05/09/2017 09:07

but at this age I don't mind my boy going I want the soldier blue and girl saying she wants equivalent in in pink with unicorn on and I still think these are gender specific.sorry to all the boys "who are allowed" to wear pink unicorn tops.
so how will this be.
surely it should be fixing people thoughts and stigmatic views than chanign how clothes have been since forever.im sorry I still want people to create girly and boyish clothes and for my two different sexes to be exited by wanting them.
at this age what has ever been wrong with that.
but if they ever chose to want from the other side or for her to want boys jeans or him a different top then so bet it.its us that then should not mind or not be horrible not the clothes to change.
she likes boys boxers betters but like the girlie ones too.
the lads hoodies are so much more comfy and slouchy too.and I don't have a problem with going and getting them
its our views not the clothes.or not most of the clothes with some silly exceptions.

kateandme · 05/09/2017 09:15

its our own hate towards gender,sex,race that has made the prblems. when in the beginning a girl wore more pink over her males friend blue I bet it was never over being too feminie or one being to masculaine or bad in one or the other.they simply chose a nice colour and it fit.and it made us different but unique and us.the pink and blue were never put uner pressure or hateful undertones until we made it so.there.
there is nothing wrong with the boy not wanting a girly pink bonet or the girl not wanting the manly shirt. It was never a problem until we brought the horrid meaning to some of it.
whats wrong with pink blue princess or kings flowers or cars.as long as thre is a stretch enough to balance and mingle if we choose who cares.
I'm a girl and sometimes want to go to the girls pretty prom dress section or the boys amazingly big comfy hoodies.i don't want to walk into the shop heading for the we are all the same and can buy in any colours because its equal rights section

AliTheMinx · 05/09/2017 09:23

I think this has all gone a bit far. Things are just fine as they are! If people want to buy clothes from the opposite gender section then fine, but don't demonise traditional gender division as though it's the work of the devil!

Oliversmumsarmy · 05/09/2017 09:28

I am not getting what they intend to do. Apart from a few items that boys and girls can wear which just meant going from one area to another . Other stuff when it comes to zippers buttons etc is made for a boy or a girl. Cardigans button up a certain way on boys and the other way on girls. So sticking everything on one shelf would be a nightmare to sort.
Or are they looking at making for example dinosair t.shirts in pink which from the little girl I know who wants to wear a dinosaur t shirt wouldn't want it to be in pink. She wants a boys one.

MrsOverTheRoad · 05/09/2017 09:29

Minx but the problem is RIGHT there in your sentence.

"traditional gender division" and "don't demonize"

Traditionalgender division has caused no end of shit for women...and for men to a degree.

No end of it.

GreenTulips · 05/09/2017 09:47

You fail to see that advertisers push unicorns on girls (are there no male unicorns?) they push butterflies on girls - there must be male butterflies?

They push dinosaurs on boys - are there not lady dinosaurs?

Can you not see they they are 'expected' conditioned to like these things which actually splits the sexes?

Why shouldn't they have a choice?

BeyondLimitsAndWhatever · 05/09/2017 10:11

Ah yes, "traditional gender division"

John Lewis removing gendered sections in kids clothing
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