Would your school have allowed you to come dressed a girl some days? Do you know any schools that would allow that? They are pandering to a six year old who needs some help. The school either can't see or are unwilling to see how it is affecting the other very young children whose parents may not be ready yet to have to explain to their children what transgender means. You could say by allowing the one child to dress as they want, they are forcing an issue that at least one set of parents don't think is the right time for them and their child to face. There was no consultation with other parents before the school allowed this to happen and that's wrong.
The idea of uniform is so that everyone dresses the same and children don't have to worry about what they look like. Nobody has to keep up with anybody in terms of what clothes they can afford. I don't think that's objectifying, in fact you could say that allowing children to wear what they like could be objectifying. There are some little kids, one of Brad Pitt's daughters comes to mind, who want to dress as the opposite sex. I think that's sort of 'normal'. I don't think the issue should be pushed aside but to cater to it at six years old is maybe not the best idea.
I don't disagree with that at all, you're quite right, but you can see how people will want to bring up uniform as society forcing kids, or conditioning them, to conform to and think in certain terms around gender stereotypes and certain ideals, expectations and standards of dress and behaviour And yes, I think it's totally normal for kids to be into dressing up and costumes and so forth
I think Feds point is that having different uniform is already conforming to social constructs (trousers vs skirts etc). Whilst i'm in favour of uniform (although from what i hear the costs are quite high?) as you say its so that theres no bullying when it comes to brands/designer etc, why is uniform not set and fixed for both boys and girls and that the uniforms differ between boys and girls. Would also get around this transgender problem as well
I've got some lovely denier tights all laid out to go with it She says she's looking forward to seeing me, I dunno if she's still upset with me or not
Yes to your society conditioning conformity suggestion. We could analyse the idea of uniforms and come up with anything and everything as to why it's both a good idea and a bad idea. Maybe this one incident will open it up for debate. There's been two minor stories also this week about the increasing cost of certain school uniforms and also Clark's releasing gender neutral shoe range.
I know some senior schools now allow girls to wear the trouser option which seems sensible because girls wear trousers as a matter of course anyway. I do think that sometimes people just like to make a fuss about what their children wear to school. I noticed a parent on one of the morning programmes who has a primary school age little girl who wants to dress as a boy say 'it doesn't matter what they wear so why won't the school let my girl wear trousers'. My first thought was, if it doesn't matter then stop making a fuss and send her to school in whatever she's been wearing up until you decided that actually it does matter to you.
I don't claim to be a subject expert on this but a lot of trans people claim they first decided they must be the wrong gender when they were small children. Obviously, I can't get in their heads to see if they are saying that to try to validate their decision or if they really did. I don't see why it's hard to believe that if an adult thinks he is the wrong gender why a child couldn't too. It not sexual orientation which the child probably won't learn about until later in life. (And trans can be gay or straight anyway) The only difference between a child claiming to be trans and an adult is that an adult can understand the impact of such a statement, how it will effect his life, and whether he considers those risks acceptable. A child can't do that.
You're right of course. The biggest thing about it for me wasn't so much the discussion about what a boy or girl should wear to school but the fact a small boy [if he's not just messing about] is in conflict about whether he's a boy or a girl. That must be hard for him to cope with. The uniform aspect of it is down to the parents. If they didn't go out and buy him a dress, there'd be no need to bring it up visibly to his classmates.
Last few years of high school I was in the US without a dress code. Maybe other people had different experiences but, I never noticed any of the concerns about people giving a too about what other kids were wearing. The biggest downside was the girls who wore sexy clothing and made me have to carry my bookbag in front of me as I walked between classes. One year I always wore shorts because this girl with long blonde hair used to sit in front of me and I loved the feel of her hair going across the top of my legs...
Yeah his parents are making it worse by not explaining it's not a big deal and you don't need to go do that A 6 year olds mind doesn't think in sexual or gender terms unless they are specifically taught about the thing. Trackies all round imo... just easier as a uniform. Problem solved. Move on to trousers and jumper. Park the problem at your own front door
I know what you're saying. I've heard some people say that they struggled from childhood with whatever gender issue / orientation it is for them. As you say, you can only take their word for it. It seems very sad that children aren't comfortable in their own skins.
You have to see they are adults reflecting on a vague memory of a feeling. As the child that is 6 year old the question at had is very different. Just parent them don't over complicate it cos at 6 thry don t need to be deciding on a life choice either way. Just be a child. Best thing is mother wears trouser suits and shows it's ok to dress if you identify with girls and move on. Be a child first.
Exactly. Some ardent feminists would call skirts slavery If there's really equality then just have rhe same uniform anyway.
Skirts and heels are sexist cos they are forced on them. Trousers are just sexy cos women's arses look super.. I'm all for equality if they wear trousers tight enough
