So whats the big deal with making sure babies gender conform?

[Brooke789]

Originally Posted by kaydove That's the thing! Why do colors have to 'belong' to a gender for children? They don't so much for adults?

If you're asking me (since I posted right above you)...I think it is different for me because I have b/g twins. A few months ago DD decided that she ONLY wanted girl colors...how she decided what were girl colors I'd just have to guess, but assume it is because her clothes were generally purple and pink and not blue and green. She began to refuse to eat/drink/etc out of something that was not one of her pre-approved colors. We didn't cause this on purpose, but when we were buying cups we'd get one pink and one blue or one purple and one green, one orange and one yellow etc. we had to get ones we'd know who they belong to. Well, I guess she picked up on that and now that she has such strong opinions on colors (DS does NOT) she won't touch the others to the extent that she won't color with blue, green, or brown crayons!

[kaydove]

That's interesting how your DD picked up on colors w/o encouragement.

I was pontificating how society has dictated what gender owns which colors. It irks me.

I'm also so terribly sick of pink since almost all of DD's clothes have been given to us, so I didn't pick them out which means its almost all pink and girly! Don't get me wrong, I'm so so thankful that we've been given clothes and didn't have to buy them, but I've never been a big fan of pink.

[jam's mum]

Originally Posted by kaydove jam's mum - I'm also a feminist and socialist!

!

[AmeliasMum]

My DS likes his sisters ballet clothing and shoes. He has been known to go to town in a tutu with a toy gun in his little holster. Who cares? DH thinks it's fab that our boys will not be afraid to wear or do feminine things. My Father and FIL are the same way. Let the kiddos wear and do what they feel led to do. Even if they are still doing it at 25. What difference does it make?

[Brooke789]

Originally Posted by kaydove I was pontificating how society has dictated what gender owns which colors. It irks me.

My dd's skin tones look great in bright blues. I sure wish she'd wear it, but she refuses. She even has some socks she won't wear one is white with pastel orange stripes and the other is white with polka dots in pastel pink, orange, purple, blue and green. She throws such a bad tantrum we donated them.

We may have encouraged it by buying two different colors for her and her twin brother, but not on purpose.

[GEM Cloth]

I said no about the camo heart shirt but that is because I hate camo and no one in this house wears it. We do not name our children cross-gender names because neither one of us likes the trend. As far as clothes go, I don't have a problem with my son wearing whatever he wants to wear but his father also has an opinion that counts. FWIW I have a bigger problem with girls wearing boy clothes than boys wearing girl clothes. I don't care about toys at all and my DH doesn't either. I do have a big problem with certain colors being "girl" colors because as far as I can tell, colors don't have a gender.

[mibarra]

Traditional gender roles IME tend to be more important to men I know IRL. I personally feel there may be a subconscious fear by them of the potential "loss of power", for lack of a better word. I think they may feel they have to "protect" their masculinity to a point. I dunno. I like pink pretty girly things. But I also loves blue and turquoise and orange, and have bought my girls "boy" outfits because I adore monkeys and elephants, and boys jeans because I don't think a 3 year old needs skintight bootcut jeans. Most of our toys probably tend to be more boyish because I despise all the "licensed" stuff like Disney Princess, Barbie, etc and refuse to buy ANY of it. I don't feel compelled to have Cinderella on the potty seat.

[kaydove]

Originally Posted by mibarra I don't feel compelled to have Cinderella on the potty seat.

Well you could crap on her since you're not a fan. Ha!

[bluedaisyma]

It irks me too when a baby carrier *has* to be boyish (w/e ppl think that means) bc they are having a boy...isn't the mama a girl? It's annoying that girls can be boyish and named "Sam" but boys named "Shannon" get teased.

I have 6 boys but you'd never guess by the toys, names, and amount of long hair and ear piercings in this house

Oh and OP? Ashley used to be a boys' name...along with Whitney, Tracy, Kelly, Stacy....etc!

[Chamomile Girl]

Originally Posted by bluedaisyma It irks me too when a baby carrier *has* to be boyish (w/e ppl think that means) bc they are having a boy...isn't the mama a girl? It's annoying that girls can be boyish and named "Sam" but boys named "Shannon" get teased. I have 6 boys but you'd never guess by the toys, names, and amount of long hair and ear piercings in this house Oh and OP? Ashley used to be a boys' name...along with Whitney, Tracy, Kelly, Stacy....etc!

I know. That is why I mentioned it We just named our new baby Ambrose and my dad gave me crap for it sounding too femme. Its a guys name that has been around forever and ever dad!

(And funny you would mention Stacy. That's my name.)