When I ordered my kids soccer clothes, the shorts were exactly the same. They were the same color, same fabric, and same length. Duh, you’re thinking. They all do the same things in soccer. Why would their clothes be different because of their gender? That’s an awesome question because, when you shop at any clothing store for kids, that is not the case. The shorts for boys and girls are rarely the same length or fit. However, kids do the same things. They play in the dirt, climb trees, ride bikes, and run around like crazy people for reasons I’ll never understand.
My apathetic personality prevents me from getting too riled up about most issues, but this bugs me a little. However, my husband gets very riled up about this issue. In the wake of the #MeToo movement and the most recent elimination of the bathing suit round from the Miss America Pageant, I feel as if things are continuing to move in the right direction for gender equality (even if still slowly). I realize we have little control over clothing designers and the like. I am too lazy to start a picket line during New York Fashion Week. Is my only recourse shopping in the boy’s section for my six-year-old daughter’s shorts?
The differences between girls and boys became a popular topic in our home once my daughter started kindergarten. I began hearing the phrases “boys don’t like pink” and “girls don’t play with cars.” I shut that nonsense down very quickly. In our home, my daughter can play with dump trucks, and my son can have pink nail polish. I don’t want either of my kids to feel confined by gender norms. These lessons should begin the moment they start figuring out their place in society.
The hem length of shorts may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of gender equality and the feminist movement, but to me, it is just one more thing that separates my daughter and son for no logical reason. All of these small details add up and send a distinct message to my daughter over time. In the case of shorts, the message is, “we want to see more of your body since you are female.” With this message, my daughter’s self-worth will be attached to her outward appearance and not her intelligence, creativity, and kindness.
Just as detrimental, the message to my son will also be a girl’s worth is determined by her outward appearance. How do we teach our son to respect girls while this message is promoted everywhere he turns? I realize I cannot change gender equality everywhere, but I can at the very least erase these messages in our own home.
As I lounge in my game day chair watching my kids play soccer, wearing the exact same length shorts, I vehemently pray unnecessarily short hem length will be a thing of the past just like the bathing suit round of Miss America. This mom can hope! In the meantime, my money is going to companies that recognize shorts for my six-year-old daughter and five-year-old son shouldn’t be that different.
I agree so much with this!!!