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Original poster

Would you/ did you know your son was camp from an early age?

20 replies

FrannyandZooey · 14/10/2006 15:50

Didn't want to muddy the water on the other thread (don't think 'camp' behaviour in toddlers has much if anything to do with being gay) but I thought those of us who seem to have quite flamboyantly camp sons, might like to share a few stories.

Ds (3.5) bought a pink tutu with his pocket money and says "I look very glamorous, don't I Mummy?" when wearing it. As some of you know he has asked to be "a mermaid" for Halloween.

This morning he asked if we could possibly call him "Amanda".

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TwigTwoolett · 14/10/2006 15:51

where's this come from??

camp is a totally inappropriate description of any small child behviour

Ladymuck · 14/10/2006 15:52

Ds's Christams list includes the Barbie campervan and the baby annabel accessories.

And he's just demolished yet another lipstick that i left out within reach... He's also 3.5

TwigTwoolett · 14/10/2006 15:53

and yes I get that that is the point of you starting the thread faz

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FrannyandZooey · 14/10/2006 16:03

There is a thread about "would you / did you kow your child was gay?" Twig. There was some discussion about what behaviour might indicate gayness, and it seemed to me that some people thought the kind of behaviour I am talking about here meant your child was likely to be gay.

I don't see camp as a loaded word but can see it can mean different things for different people.

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FrannyandZooey · 14/10/2006 16:05

3.5 does seem to be a popular time for these activities, doesn't it, Ladymuck? It would be sad to find that this is a perfectly normal, maybe even desirable stage for children to go through, that has mostly been thwarted by our ideas about what boys and girls should be doing.

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Earthymama · 14/10/2006 16:16

At least it's ok for little ones to do this now, for boys to have dollies and girls have train sets. Years ago it would have caused complete outrage.
Though I do love it when really boy-looking boys IYSWIM are pushing dolly in a pram and people say, what a lovely little girl. If you say actually this is Fred or Frank, they are so shocked! (I live in a little village, so they are getting used to my funny ways!!)

MadameMorticiaMills · 14/10/2006 16:24

DS1 carried a small pink handbag around with him for 2 years, although he is 6 now and will not let me give it away. He sings and dances all day, very touchy feely and probably has more girl friends than boy friends.

In fact I was approached by his teacher only last week because he had upset a boy he was trying to kiss. DS1 does like kissing his friends, but I've had to tell him now to save his kisses for his family, which was quite a sad thing to have to do, but completely understandable.

I suppose sometimes his behaviour could be described as camp, he can be dramatic and did remark rather loudly how beautiful he found some garden furniture in B&Q. I do not correlate his behaviour now with being gay however. That's just the way he is, if he is gay then so be it, but I wouldn't want him any other way.

FillyjonkthePumpkinEater · 14/10/2006 16:35

my ds isn't really especially camp he just loves lots of so called girly things. he's 3.1

one of our friends, whose daughter is one of his best friends, gave us a big dustbin liner of her daughter's old clothes for his 15 mo sister. oh, hours of fun.

BUT ok, another story re playing with "girls" stuff. Ds and a girl playing with a stethescope, an ear checking device and some other medically things at p/t. When ds dones regallia "ooh, look at him, playing doctors, so you want to be a doctor when you grow up, Fillyboy". When little girl playing with them, "oh look, proper little nurse.".

It was so blatant I thought they were taking the piss at first. No.

roisinpronouncedROSHEEN · 14/10/2006 16:40

DS1 always loved dressing up in the pink lacey negligee at playgroup&nursery when he was 3 and 4. When he was 5 and 6 he used to make a beeline for the "pink sparkly" books in Ottakars. Now (he's 9)he has much more rigid ideas as to what are "boy" things, and what are "girl" things. DS2 (2 yrs younger) developed those stereotypical ideas at a much, much younger age.

MamaMaiasaura · 14/10/2006 16:48

my ds has a barbie (we say it is mine if ever goind by friends). She is action mans girlfriend. He also brushes her hair and my hair and all his cuddlies. Fav colour used to be pink till started school now it is blue and girls smell. He still has a night of mine as it is silky and he wont give it back. Has in the past worn my make-up. Have never made an issue as it seems perfectly acceptable for girls to explore boys toys and interests so why not the other way round. Ds has also asked if he can be a girl but again they dont really have an understanding of sexuality and I can remember wishing I had been a boy at times cos they always seemed to have a lot more fun. Obv very glad i am a girl now but the point is it is natural for kids to want to explore.

Also ds loves smelling flowers and gardening and baking, but that is because we do stuff like that together and when they are around mum they adopt similar sayings and interests.

MamaMaiasaura · 14/10/2006 16:48

goind should have been found - bad spelling.

UnquietDad · 14/10/2006 16:49

My DS often likes TO camp, in the indoor tent he has.

Does that count?

MamaMaiasaura · 14/10/2006 16:51

ony if it is a barbie tent

UnquietDad · 14/10/2006 20:49

damn! He's straight, isn't he? how are we going to live with it? He'll be bringing girls home and everything. And wanting to go to football matches and race cars and get into fights! Oh, I need therapy already!!

Blu · 14/10/2006 21:03

LOL at being asked if you could possibly call him Amanda!

moaningpaper · 14/10/2006 21:08

There was a beautiful article in the last edition of the magazine Brain, Child which covered this subject very well indeed. Unfortunately it's not online but it was brilliant.

I don't think camp is a negative word, it describes stereotypical gay behaviour. I remember at school that there were two camp boys, who "turned out gay" as it were. And my gay friend has many pictures of himself as a toddler wearing extremely flamboyant outfits and dancing around putting on shows for his mother.

moaningpaper · 14/10/2006 21:11

Franny cat me and I will send you a copy of this article if I can root it out

You would love it

DastardlyDevilishDior · 14/10/2006 21:11

Ds isn't camp as such, but my friend and I have always laughed about the possibility of our sons ending up together. They used to run around together like a couple of wallies, arms flapping unintentionally and legs kind of skipping! Ds' friend has now got his co-ordination together and has a 'boy' run, but ds still looks like a fairy on speed!

RottenOtter · 14/10/2006 21:14

one of my many sons is 'terribly' julian Clary.
Just has the ability to mince!!! We laugh!!

3andnomore · 14/10/2006 21:19

DDD, lol, your post made me lol....how cute though...my 2 year odl has a well funny run, but not like a fairy on speet more the drunken grandad kind...just as funny!
It's quite weird really, if girls are tomboys people tend not to be shocked or anything, but if a boy pushes a Buggy apparently we are meant to stop that as parents because it's unmanly...wtf....I mena, my dh pushes the Buggy, don't make him unmanly neither...just sad really...same with fancy dress, a girls dressing up as a pirate or wotnot, no one would bat an eyelid, a boy dressing up as a fairy or something...shock horror!
And even if it would indicate gayness...who cares anyway, one would love them all the same, I would hope!

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