padded bikini for 7-year-olds pulled off shelves

[candyman]

Fair enough, point taken . I was trying to keep it more simple, but this also adds to my point now that you bring it up. Point is that gender identity, sexuality, and sexualization of genders are NEVER cut-and-dry or black-and-white. There are several variations, not even just physically, but mentally (as with transgendered/trans-sexual people feeling as though they were born into the wrong gender such as myself) and this supports the fact that as adults we should have no business forcing OUR gender ideals on innocent children. Let them be kids and as they grow into adults, let them become what they become. Physically, gender-wise, hermaphrodites and free-martins have long been "shunned" as being freaks (I'm not citing from an actual source, but this has been my observation). As time goes on and more understanding develops among society regarding people who were born physically as a "non-traditional" gender or believe in their minds that they should have been born as another gender. Thanks for pointing this out .

You don't have to be in the gender-bender area as a child to be a freak. Starting at pre-school and going all the way to college everyone is prey to the monster of ridicule.

You can't just let them grow up completely by themselves, that may not be what you meant anyways. If it is your child you can and should help to guide them and that does not have to be forceful as people would like to think. Also, if you want them to come out of it with confidence and a mind that isn't fucked up you need to teach them how to be a "freak" or what is also considered having confidence in who you are.

It doesn't matter what the hell you are on the outside...this article of clothing further proves the idea that it is all in your head.

[Iris]

ummm, she wrote a paper about this subject.. it's not accepted science... to qoute her... "I had intended to be provocative, but I had also written with tongue firmly in cheek,"

Fair enough...finding sources on such material can be hard to come by...I think I still have the original Academic text (from whence I first read)somewhere in this mess of a house.

Give me a day, and hopefully I can dig it up....

Edited April 16, 2010 by Iris

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

Fair enough...finding sources on such material can be hard to come by...I think I still have the original Academic text (from whence I first read)somewhere in this mess of a house.

Give me a day, and hopefully I can dig it up....

I just read it and her follow up paper. (which is where I got the qoute)

[Iris]

Ah, poor grammar, totally seperate article from a Human Sexuality textbook

[Onyx]

This is a really interesting discussion.

Obviously padded tops for pre-adolescent females is nuts but I'm interested in everyone's views of gender and dress and how this relates to how you dress your children (or if you don't have any, how you think children should be dressed).

I have to say, personally I'm glad I have girls.

When they wanted to wear dresses they did, and when they wanted to dress boyishly (even when they wanted to shop in the guy's clothing section) they did.

I'm not sure what I would do if I had a little boy who longed to dress girly. Personally I absolutely love guys in skirts. I prefer the more masculine-looking skirts myself on them but some androgynous-looking dress for guys are also very hot.

Little boys dressing girly is a very different matter though. There isn't the same freedom or equality for male children in our society at all.

I can just imagine what would happen if I allowed him the freedom to choose what he wanted to wear. Over on this side of the state they would probably call it child abuse and prosecute me. (Plus there is the fact that he would be mercilessly teased to consider too).

Edited April 17, 2010 by Onyx

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

It's not that hard. One of my son's likes to wear girlie stuff sometimes. Not dresses or skirts... but... He does like girls clothes.