To be angry about the lack of females on boys pyjamas?

[WeasleyWoman]

This seems rather minor but has me riled. I was in Asda today with my 3yr old giving her free rein to choose pants (in prep for potty training) she wanted paw patrol pants which could only be found in the boys section: no probs briefs are briefs when you are 3. I noticed that the pants only had the male pups on, even the ones with 5 pups still didn't have the token females (apparently they can only appear on the pink pants). This got me looking for female characters in the boys section, the only one I could find was Owlet (score 1 for pj masks) everyone else had gone, no Lilly on the Peter rabbit clothes just (Peter and Benjamin), no Penny on fireman Sam (just Sam, Elvis and the chief), no black widow or captain marvel on the avenger tops not even Peppa fucking pig on the Peppa pig clothes! It's Bacon girl's show yet all the boy's clothes have George on. I feel like there is, at last, starting to be more of a focus on making sure little girls know they can do anything, achieve anything and don't have to just aspire to be mums, wives and princesses but what is the point if we don't tell the boys too? If we don't show them that women are useful and important members of the team then aren't we just shout in the dark, or rather shouting in the pink sparkly section?

Out of the toddlers I know right now, Everest is the clear favourite. One likes Marshal best.

They learn that they should want the 'boys' or the 'girls' stuff, and they learn it because the t-shirts in the girls section have the girls on, and the t-shirts in the boys section have the boys stuff on. Because the dentist gives the boys spider man stickers and the girls my little pony

They learn that when they pick right, it's easy, and people smile, when they pick wrong people look confused and make them wait, or they can't get it at all (my DS2 chose a power puffs girl sticker once, and the receptionist checked with him 3 times that he didn't want spiderman instead)

So yes, it matters. Indoctrinate them into this sex segregation at 3, and they're going to continue that their entire life.

Asda are the absolute worst for completely segregated boys/girls sections. They only have pink frilly nauseating nonsense for girls, and boring grey or blue casual clothes for boys

That's a little unfair I think. Don't know about the girls section but their boys' is fantastic at the moment, bright colours, a lot less 'I'm trouble' and silly slogans than they used to be. Pink and lilac t-shirts, dinosaurs and different animals.

The character thing is tricky. My own two DS were both huge paw patrol fans. One would probably have worn a pink T-shirt with just Skye on it, the other wouldn't have worn a t-shirt if it had even a hint of pink or Skye on there. A lots of boys are like that I think. Same as a lot of girls hate Batman etc etc.

I suspect the women on here who claim it's not a big deal are the same people who would shout LTB or call husbands sexist pigs or demand that they be treated equally as a SAHM, etc.

I suspect they aren't. I suspect they're the ones who giggle about how their husbands can't possibly clean or cook because 'men are just hopeless at that stuff - they don't see the mess, hun!' and who declare them 'great dads' if they as much as look at the child.

I ordered 5 t shirts for DS yesterday from the boys section of Asda. One pink, one peach, one with pink and purple robots on. I think it’s unfair to generalise when the branded merchandise isn’t designed by ASDA.

Jesus Christ. is this a real problem? There are no girl pups on the paw patrol pants? REALLY? The world has gone mad because the message is that they shouldn't really like Skye or Lily or Xuli or Black Widow as much because they're just girls. Urgh. You don't want girls on your top. Girls smell. Liking girl stuff or wanting to be like a girl sucks butt.

Bit girls dont have that message because they adapt all the male characters into girls clothes so that even Spiderman comes in a frilly dress.

Interesting the girls are always the smartest ("another issue) so the girly traits we don't want our boys to catch is seemingly brains, logic and being sensible.

Have to agree Asda is good for colours, we have some lovely brights and pastels from there. But they do choose what to stock Re characters

Bit girls dont have that message because they adapt all the male characters into girls clothes so that even Spiderman comes in a frilly dress.

That gives the girls the message instead that boys are the norm and they're something else - also not a great message TBH.

The issue here is that we're so used to women being able to choose what they can wear (in the UK), that we forget that just 50-100 years ago that was unheard of - that women had to fight to be allowed to wear trousers etc.

As a society, this means we've come to accept the idea that girls can wear 'boys' clothes, but since no men have fought to wear skirts/frills (mainstream) the same acceptability isn't there. It didn't happen by accident though - women fought for it.

It always makes me laugh, in a dark bitter way, that the most successful children’s author of all time made her pen name gender neutral because she was worried that boys wouldn’t buy a book written by a woman.

Can you imagine a young girl having the luxury of saying “I’m not reading that, it’s written by a boy, ewww!”?

You could bring pens and draw them on yourself next time you’re out. Future generations of enlightened pant wearers will sing your name unto the aeons.

Don't buy character clothing?

Didn't realise Peppa was a 'fucking' pig Who knew??

I don’t have any DC so haven’t really been looking at the children’s clothes enough to notice much buuut I recently spotted an amazing range of girls clothes at primark that featured women of different skin tones and body types in varying occupations including traditionally male ones, ie STEM which made me really happy.

Most shops have really nonsense gendered clothes for children and it sounds like the key is to just stop buying clothes from these shops and/or complain. All businesses cater by demand - so lets create the demand.

I get it completely. Shops sell pink Pokemon things for girls, always with the pink... My DD’s loathe pink.

My youngest DD had an affinity with Spider-Man for a while and I had to buy all of the merch from the ‘boys’ section because apparently girls don’t like superheroes .

I think it’s unfair to generalise when the branded merchandise isn’t designed by ASDA.

They have a huge amount of buying power though. If a buyer at Asda said, “Where’s Skye? We can’t buy this without the whole team.”

I bet Skye would appear pretty sharpish.

The problem with not buying clothes from these stores is that all the main supermarkets and lower end clothes shops do it so where AM I meant to shop?

Ffs, they are 3yo. Just get some from the boys section and some from the girls section then you have all characters covered.

Way to miss the point, Hopping.

Why are there no female characters ok boys clothes? What message does this send about male and female roles to both boys and girls?

This is not an isolated incident, it’s part of a broad range of subtle (and not so subtle) messages our children receive.

I think it’s generally easier to put a girl in boys clothing than a boy in girls clothing.
I bought DS a girls top in his usual size once because I liked that pattern and he kept tugging at the shoulders and complaining so I took it off again. I’m not sure why most girls tops need to be ‘slim fit’ with ruched shoulder bits but they are uncomfortable if you are used to square boys tops.
I imagine knickers or pjs with random frilly bits are the same.

@HoppingPavlova because them essage is still if you like ^girl stuff you have to go over there and shop with the girls. If you like boy^ stuff you can shop anywhere. Becuase boy stuff is better, being a boy is better, girls should like boy and girl stuff t boys should like boys stuff. Because DS would wear a pink Powerpuff Girls top or Skye or Shimmer and Shine but you KNOW some asshat is going to make snide remarks / openly rude remarks / homophobic remarks.

I live in an area where lots of girls do not like frilly pink clothing so they are missing a massive market.

Surely this is every area? I don't know anyone personally who only buys pink clothing for their daughters, but there must be some out there otherwise the shops wouldn't sell this stuff.

I agree it is a problem, implying that boys shouldn't like female characters but it's ok for girls to like Male characters. It's a vicious circle because the reasoning is that boys wouldn't pick a top with a girl on it. Which came first?

Presumably you have woman- shaped tits, arse and thighs. Babies, toddlers and preschoolers do not

So that's the ONLY reason why women don't buy men's clothes??

Only on MN do you read about gender neutral clothes. If you believe all children's clothing should be gender neutral, what about adults' clothing? Should that be as well?

YABU

OP, I have 3 daughters aged 17, 16 and 12. They are all feminists, particularly the 16 year old. They grew up watching Disney princesses, playing with dolls and wearing dresses (their choice). I can tell you that these have had NO influences on how they view women or what they aspire to in life. Because there are so many other factors at play.

And I think it's pretty insulting to girls to think that characters on pyjamas will have an effect on their outlook. If they are brought up well and educated well, they will develop the confidence to do what they like in life and see themselves as equals to men. It's about attitude not characters on pyjamas.

The ones who are saying it does not matter - if it does not, WHY segregate and limit? Why are female characters femoved from boys' clothes, if it's all the same and makes no difference? It's not an accident or random selection, is it?

@BeanBag7 I would hope this is every area but from the comments of some of the posters on MN and some of the comments girls I know have received in rl it appears not to be.

@twosoups1972 we aren't just talking about girls here we are also talking about boys.

There are plenty of boys who would love to have or don't mind having female characters on their clothing but they don't get the choice.

It is the little things that help ingrain sexism. Then I only work in a male dominated industry and frequently have to deal with idiots of both sexes.