In a world full of princesses, dare to be Batman!
Poppy likes ‘boy things’. Her words not mine.
I’m trying to teach her about gender stereotypes, to get her to understand she just likes what she likes and it doesn’t matter whether it’s traditionally for a boy or a girl. Gender roles and stereotypes are ingrained in children’s lives from such a young age. They often feel they need to be what society expects of them.
Poppy likes:
– Football and plays for a brilliant girls’ team.
– Climbing trees, climbing frames, monkey bars… Calls from the school about bumped heads happen on a daily basis.
– Skateboarding
– Getting messy and muddy: it amazes me how one child can create that much washing!
– Tracksuits and a hoodie: you won’t get this girl in a dress ever and that’s fine!
– Star Wars and Marvel
– Wearing her hair short.
Are these ‘boy things’? Or are these just Poppy things?
She recently refused to wear her sister’s old trousers to school because they were ‘girls trousers’. I argued that they looked exactly the same as boys trousers but she said no as they didn’t have pockets.
This was a good argument. Don’t girls need pockets too? I brought her a pair of boy trousers!
I feel incredibly proud of her for being exactly who she wants to be.
We all have responsibility to build a more accepting and inclusive society. Growing up should be about discovery and experimentation. By challenging perceived gender norms and stereotypes, we can create a better future for new generations.
We should all be more Poppy.
Happy #InternationalWomensDay.
