I am open with my kids - I don’t pretend gender stereotypes don’t exist, I acknowledge and undermine them. My kids are told that there’s no such thing as girls stuff or boys stuff and anyone who says there is is stupid and/or old fashioned.
The way to change the world is not to acquiesce to the idiots who uphold bigotry or people too old-fashioned to see sexism for what it is.
If you let the little things slide, the bigger issues are allowed to take hold.
If a mum came on here and said ‘I don’t like the gingham dresses, can my daughter wear these grey cargo shorts to school’, no one would give a toss. It’s only the idea of a boy dressing ‘girly’ that’s a problem. That’s because ‘women’s stuff’ is still perceived as inferior.
My husband wears pink a lot, because he likes it. He’s also a giant of a man. He had long hair for ages and my son wanted his long, too. When some kids at school told him only girls have long hair, I told him they were wrong.
Instead of telling your kid the world says gingham shorts are for girls, tell him stupid people think gingham shorts are for girls - but we know there’s no such thing as girls things and boys things.
My kids still get to choose their outfits and refuse to wear things, of course. I have never forced them to wear anything - even school uniform.