When I was a child, I was absolutely EVERYTHING that fits the stereotype of a girl. I took ballet lessons, dressing up my dolls was one of my favorite activities, and my favorite color was shiny neon pink. I even went so far as to tell my little sister that she wasn't a real girl because she played soccer. #unworthybigsister #shameonme
Of course, I’d always dreamed of the day when I’d have a real baby to dress up. And when we found out that Baby #2 would be a girl, everyone was saying things like, “Oh! A beautiful princess!”, “A little doll!”, “You’re going to have so much fun dressing her up!”
NOT!
Okay, I’ll admit it—it’s actually kind of fun! But since I’ve grown up a bit since I was 6 (for the better, I hope), I sometimes get upset when I see what stores are offering for our little girls.
Ruffles, sequins, frills, tutus, sparkles. Name it! Too many flowers. Too many hearts. Pink, pink, and more pink. Um, leopard print? I don't think so!
And let's add to that all the “ Cute ", " Beautiful ", " Adorable "printed in giant letters on her clothes, implying that my little one will never be able to do anything else in life but act cute. Having a strong personality and drive, that's for boys, right? And conversely, why should our little boys only wear clothes with trucks on them?
To test my theory, I set myself a challenge: to find a gray hoodie for Cocotte. Simple. Neutral. No frills. You know, that versatile piece that goes with everything… Mission impossible!! Yes, with flowery “patches.” Yes, with shiny fabric. But I found simplicity in the boys’ section, and I wonder why.
Why should I avoid dressing my little girl in her big brother’s blue sweaters, which really make her gorgeous eyes stand out? Why can’t a color just be a color? Why not have a HUGE unisex section in every children’s store? And don’t get me wrong—I could just as easily have titled this post: “My Son Isn’t a World Cup-Winning Superhero.” Why put so much pressure on our kids?
Fortunately, around the same time my daughter was born, a Quebec-based company was founded that has made addressing this issue its mission. Little Yogi has set out to offer little ones not only comfortable, organic, and locally made clothing, but also gender-neutral clothing that allows children to grow without being pigeonholed. Their slogan, “Because not everything is blue or pink,” aligns perfectly with my way of thinking, and their products have quickly become favorites in our household.
So I’m here to tell you that no, my daughter is not a Barbie. My daughter is a child. A child who has the right to thrive in her own way and not be pigeonholed based on her X chromosome. We may just be talking about clothes, but I see this as the beginning—the foundation for showing our young girls that the world belongs to them!
Joëlle