It seemed so simple. For my 10th birthday, I asked for my party colors to be pink, blue, and yellow—so there would be something for girls, boys, and anyone who didn’t like the color the color they were “supposed to like.” Lol. Because who says all girls have to like pink? Or all boys have to prefer blue?? Out of the mouth of babes, right?!
Just a few short 10...20...ish years later, I find that it's no longer so simple. As grown ups, we seem to have a lot of concrete ideas about what the people around us--including the children around us--do and wear and feel and express.
But when...and why...did we start to think this was worth judging?? As people, we are so much more than pink or blue, or skirts or ties, or other people’s expectations of our identity! And that’s not meant as a new age idea or liberal agenda—I believe this idea can be completely independent from social or political propaganda. It’s simply about respect, and in some cases, about the willingness to look beyond our own personal experiences.
Then again, it might also be about the ability to look past the projections of modern commercialism. This little video walks us through America's "gender neutral" roots, and through the last few hundred years of gender bending ideas.
I realize it's not a sufficient source all on it's own, but at least it's thought provoking enough for a start..."So colors are up for grabs as cultural markers.”
And as long as we’re comparing the expectations vs the practicality of American attire, can I just throw away my heels now?! My feet are killing me!
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