Guardian also today

[MIdgebabe]

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/05/dolls-dresses-no-proof-not-girl-pink-v-blue

Bloody hell. Are we starting to see a little groundswell of common sense?

I bet those people who wanted self id through the back door are as flippin fumin as me now

Yes, Hadley!

This is an excellent article. Thank God for Hadley Freeman and others like her.

I have only just woken up to the appalling gender stereotyping that seems to have taken place over the last few decades.

I think I was freer as a girl in the 1950's to reject conventionally female behaviours and characteristics.

I cannot understand why a girl or boy liking the 'wrong' toys or 'wrong' colour is considered to be a symptom of body dysmorphia.

Well said, Hadley!

Yes I think I was freer in the70s to reject all this. Lego, dinosaurs, obsessed with all things space related and dressed in brightly coloured corduroy. Loathed pink, loathed dresses. Still a girl.

Good article Hadley- and mind blowing that you even need to say this shit in 2018. I mean really this should be common bloody sense. I hope you dont get too much online flak for it :/

Must be interesting working at the Graun with such views ;)

Yes I think I was freer in the70s to reject all this. Lego, dinosaurs, obsessed with all things space related and dressed in brightly coloured corduroy. Loathed pink, loathed dresses. Still a girl.

Definitely so. Hard to believe the 70s were more enlightened times.

Thanks Hadley!

(NB: With the usual provisos about institutionalised racism, sexism and homophobia recognised)

Good article. Shame in 2018 she has to point out the flipping obvious.

Note the lack of open comments on another GC article by Hadley. I bet it's not her decision.

Yes, good piece by Hadley. I feel she does hold back a little, though, but that's understandable.

Interesting timing coming after yesterday's nasty little piece by Owen Jones on Stonewall, once again laying into feminists.

In the past few years I’ve been aware of this whole debate - one change that really stands out is the change screaming from the Guardian recently - it used to read like a slightly loftier version of Pink News - now they seem to hsve regretted their earlier complete pro trans bias. Have they actuslly reached peak terf? I’m surprised OJ hasn’t jumped ship in disgust.

Loving your work Hadley 👍

Brilliant. Well done Hadley.

Anyone who has raised a child in the last ten years will know how gendered toys are. It is a nightmare of pink and blue, boys lego Vs lego friends, monsters vs Disney princesses. It was a lot better when I grew up.

I grew up in the 70s and was considered a Tom boy as loved sports, played football with the boys and beyond proud that i was usually picked for teams for games ahead of some of the boys - always the first girl picked. I didn’t want to be one of the girls sitting at the edge giggling and trying to get the boys attention as they played football - i was too busy playing with the boys till one day around 14 they told me basically i was no longer welcome and should join the girls. I waljed away with my head foen without saying a word and cried in my bedroom. I cried, sobbed actually, the day i wore a bra for the first time at 15 and my adored older brother snapped my bra strap as i walked past. I didn’t want anything to be wrong with my body so it was a sort of relief when at 15!my breasts started to grow and i had a period - but I desperately didn’t want to deal with all the stuff that brought and was expected of me.

Sorry for going on but this article just really struck a cord with me. Oh, and along with my Sindy and Girls World - I loved lego, mechano, weebils and longed for a garage and dreamed about havng a Hornby train set spreading all over the loft. I also wanted to be a Ballerina. God knows where or what I’d have been today.

Yes I think I was freer in the70s to reject all this. Lego, dinosaurs, obsessed with all things space related and dressed in brightly coloured corduroy. Loathed pink, loathed dresses. Still a girl.

Definitely so. I was Action Man, Meccano, a "play Scrabble with me" pesterer, and reader of all my mum's books, especially the history ones. No thought whatsoever given to being a girl or a boy.

I think I was freer as a girl in the 1950's to reject conventionally female behaviours and characteristics.

My gut feeling says this trend has something to do with authoritarianism, and the increased sexualisation of everyday culture.

Great article. Thank heavens for women like Hadley Freeman

My children range from mid 20s down to pre teen. The change in the way toys and clothes have become uber gendered in that time span is massive.

It's a trend that has come about over the last 20 years.
Coinciding with a certain agenda that requires stereotypes.

I've emailed her to say thank you. I do think it's important that we support people, in particular women, who are sticking their necks out on this issue. The tide may well be turning but the cultists aren't going to go away quietly.

Any one else want to do the same her email address is: [email protected].

I also think she's holding back a little, but given the Graun's editorial stance on trans-rights I think it's a great step forward that she's managed to get this published.

I ❤️ Hadley anyway, and now even more so. Was just coming on to post the link but OP beat me to it.

Heartening to see this. I think I'll email her too.