My mother-in-law buys overly girly clothes for my daughter. I try to be gracious but it kills me – do I tell her to stop?
There’s a risk in trying to get our girls away from frilly skirts that we swing all the way to a different kind of enforcement, writes advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-SmithRead more Leading questionsI am the mother of a six-year-old girl, and I have relatively progressive views about gender. Among other things, I try to give my daughter a choice of clothes that are practical – T-shirts, leggings – and that tend to be unisex in colour scheme. There are no overly fussy and frilly skirts and dresses in pink and sparkles in her wardrobe. As much as possible, I try to buy non-sweatshop brands. These choices are part of a world system of values I want to show my daughter – that being a “girl” is so much more than just wearing a frilly dress; that we can have well-made things without contributing to the suffering of others.My mother-in-law, on the other hand, loves buying these sorts of clothes for my daughter (her granddaughter). She is a kind and caring woman, and this is one of her love languages. These clothes are often gauche, overly feminine, expensive and poorly made. Continue reading…
To read the full story from the source: The Guardian – International
