John Lewis goes genderless
In September 2017 John Lewis became the first major UK store to remove boys and girls labels from children’s clothing in a bid to reduce gender stereotypes. The labels on newborns to age 14 garments say “girls and boys” and gender signs removed from the store. Stores such as Zara, ASOS and Selfridges have made a move towards gender-fluid clothing because clothing should be about choice.
In my opinion this is a great step forward because people should have choice in their clothing and not have to live by old fashioned views of gender stereotypes. Children don’t really care about fashion in a sense but like to wear things they like. I remember as a kid wanting to wear and buy certain clothes and my mum not letting me (mainly because of price or functionality) and when I look back at old photos I’ll remember an item of clothing and think ‘aw I used to love that coat!’. Children are brought into the world with stereotypes pushed upon them not only in clothing. Girls are taught that boys are stronger which often leads to insecure unconfident teenagers and women even though these teachings are wrong. I believe in freedom of choice and that people should be able to wear what they want whatever their ages, gender or even sexual orientation. Some girls will like football and playing with toy dinosaurs and should be alowed to if that makes them happy. Just like some boys will want to play with dolls and try on dresses. Restricting and punishing your child for the things they like is damaging and can effect their confidence and self asteem and make them ashamed of who they are.
Unfortunately John Lewis’s announcement received a lot of backlash with close minded adults calling it wrong and ‘taking political correctness too far’. In my opinion this is not political correctness or ‘confusing and brainwashing children’, it’s simply letting children wear what they want. So what if a girl likes dinosaurs? So what if a boy wants to watch Disney princesses? Not allowing them to be who they are is brainwashing them to be someone they’re not and be categorised in an out of date society.
This is why for my project I have decided to look into gender fluidity and unisex clothing for children and how it should be the norm to give children and adults a like the freedom of what they wear.
