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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

7 yo boy wants to wear dress and tights to school

256 replies

TotallyAverage · 25/01/2023 14:22

My DS has not long turned 7. We've always allowed him to choose his clothes and shoes, toys, books etc as much as he is interested so he has occasionally worn pink trainers and sparkly hairbands etc but generally isn't bothered and just wears navy tracksuit bottoms and a Minecraft/super mario t-shirt. Lately he's been pushing more and more to wear dresses and tights especially to school and I'm not sure how best to reply.

We've always tried to teach him that it doesn't matter how he dresses, what his hair looks like, what toys or films he likes, he's a boy and is male. Boys and girls can like anything they want to, there's no such thing as boys toys etc.

We've done this in a fairly gentle way but always been consistent, I've always thought it was the right thing to do. I'm not totally sure now, as he is questioning why he can't wear a dress to school, if it doesn't change who he is. Essentially asking me to put my money where my mouth is!

As a 3, 4, 5 year old at nursery I'd have let him, he had plenty of princess clothes and things he could wear, but to school/beavers etc? I also don't want anyone to make more of it than it is. We're in Scotland and I feel like we have to be extra careful how we discuss sex and gender with the children.

I'm not sure I'm expressing myself very well here, I'm basically trying to say to him dresses are only for girls, but also that he can be who he wants and wear what he wants... I'm in a guddle with it. Maybe I'm overthinking? Any wisdom?!

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MrsNC1 · 15/01/2024 10:59

Let him wear it, I’m sure by the end of the day he won’t want to wear a dress again.

DadJoke · 16/01/2024 11:54

@TotallyAverage you sound like a great parent! How did you handle it back then? Did he go to school in a dress in the end?

thirdfiddle · 16/01/2024 14:04

Nice update OP. Lovely he's having fun and being creative.

TotallyAverage · 16/01/2024 14:05

Thank you @DadJoke I feel like I'm making a right hash of parenting most of the time.

He didn't wear a dress, we talked about clothes a bit, and about society and make up and hair etc but ultimately he didn't press the issue too hard and it sort of died off as he moved onto the next thing!

I was kind of non-committal but took an interest in his thoughts and then moved along to whether he wanted chips or mash, that sort of thing! It's an issue I still feel quite unsure about. I believe sex is immutable, and that clothes are just clothes. But can I put that into practice if I'm actually pushed? I don't think so.

OP posts:
Ikeameatballlunch · 16/01/2024 14:09

What a lovely update

Gettingbysomehow · 16/01/2024 14:16

He's 7 years old. He doesn't get to make decisions like this. You are the parent.
My son wanted to stay at home everyday on the PlayStation. I didn't waste my time arguing with him. He went to school.

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