LEONARD PITTS: Hasbro should know courage has no gender

[moonshadow]

Link to article:
http://www.heraldcourier.com/opinion/co ... ed435.html

Saw this column in the paper today, and thought I'd share. With all the discussion on gender this and gender that going on. I didn't post this in "news and advocacy" since it really has nothing to do with men in skirts, however, this particular issue is on along the same "branch" of problems that we as a society face regarding gender issues, as well as stereotypes, and in some ways... does tie into the "men in skirts" movement. As both issues seem to have similar root problems.

I have written him before and he has responded well. I do enjoy his articles. Not every one I've found myself in agreement with, but I think he's a pretty well rounded fella.

I have drafted him an email. It would be my honor if he'd respond and maybe... just maybe he might just doing a little write up about the skirt wearing men in our society....

We'll see. In all seriousness, while I'm sure he'd be our advocate... I'm also sure he gets thousands of emails daily, so again... we'll see...

Email: (in italics)

Dear Mr. Pitts.

As always, I enjoy reading your columns in my local paper, the Bristol Herald Courier. I found myself reading your column regarding Hasbro and women hero's, and thought I would write a few thoughts of my own. While I certainly appreciate and agree with your article, I'd like to point out, that in my opinion, it only discusses one side of the problem. That side being that there aren't enough "women hero's" in the toy market. And it's true. It's mostly baby and barbie dolls, pink electric cars, and little play kitchens. I would love to see more girls toys geared towards more gender neutral lines, to teach young girls that they don't have to grow up to be a housewife, or bimbo (Barbie), that they too can be just as successful in their adult lives as the men of the world.

As I ran through the hypothetical situation in my head, of what would happen if more toy makers began to create and market heroic toys for boys and girls alike. I wondered would the boys play with them too? What would go through a young boys mind if he were to open the hottest action figure of what ever big movie is trending at the time, and it's a woman? I feel most boys would chuck it off to the side.

And there lies the other side of the problem... Our society teaches girls that theirs is a place of submission, tending the home, raising children, etc, and that boys is a place of dominance, tackling the worlds problems, making the money, and doing the hands on work. This is a problem that is much deeper than simply the marketing of toys, but gets deep down into the very fabric of our culture. A culture that is being challenged by current gender debates. As a young boy myself, I personally liked playing with the little toy kitchens, doll houses, and so on. However my conservative family discouraged it strongly, and would tease me about it often to the point where eventually I just quit it all together. But I never actually liked playing with the "boys toys", never was really into sports, or other competitive activities.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, I believe this is just as much a boy problem as it is a girl problem. In our modern society, girls are often championed for being "Tom boys", however if a boy decides he likes more feminine activities, then he will be teased, bullied, and ostracized. I'm now 35 years old, and live my life as a typical man would, for the most part. I do my part taking care of my wife and daughter. I hold down a full time job. I can drive a stick, and back a trailer, and am generally pretty handy around the house and automobile. But I also still like cooking, reading, sewing, and other activities that have been traditionally associated with women.

Recently I began changing my wardrobe to include more feminine attire, including skirts and some dresses. I don't like to think of myself as a crossdresser, mainly because this same rule doesn't seem to apply to women, and in addition I don't go as far as to wear underwear and wigs. No, I simply like the comfort of the garments, as well as the style. I feel they portray my inner feminine side, however I do still consider myself a man, and I don't consider myself "transgender". It was however during my time wearing skirts out in public, and discussing it with different people that I have learned how difficult it is, in our modern world of freedom, tolerance, and understanding, to wear something as harmless as a skirt. I worry that the practice may cost me family, friends, and employment opportunities. I have been denied the use of certain accommodations in public simply for being a skirt wearing man, where as it seems the general consensus is that any man who wear's something traditionally for a woman must be some type of creep or pervert. Yet women do not seem to suffer this prejudice if they choose to wear a man's business suit. I find it to be a completely overlooked double standard, and another example of how men's social freedoms are greatly restricted. Yes I'll admit that in many area's of society, men generally have it made, however if a man decides he wants to break from tradition, or the status quo, he will find that he may be wanting in his quest for freedom.

Yes we do have a problem with how our society regards women. They are not fine china, they're people and should receive all the respect due to them that they deserve. However I'll ask that you consider that we also have a problem with how our society views men who want to explore their feminine side. Until the latter problem is rectified, the former problem will always stand. We must teach our young boys that yes, it's cool to be a girl too. And if boys want to grow up to do girly things, that's okay.

As always, a pleasure reading your columns.

Sincerely,

[Elisabetta]

Link to article:
http://www.heraldcourier.com/opinion/co ... ed435.html

Saw this column in the paper today, and thought I'd share. With all the discussion on gender this and gender that going on. I didn't post this in "news and advocacy" since it really has nothing to do with men in skirts, however, this particular issue is on along the same "branch" of problems that we as a society face regarding gender issues, as well as stereotypes, and in some ways... does tie into the "men in skirts" movement. As both issues seem to have similar root problems.

I have written him before and he has responded well. I do enjoy his articles. Not every one I've found myself in agreement with, but I think he's a pretty well rounded fella.

I have drafted him an email. It would be my honor if he'd respond and maybe... just maybe he might just doing a little write up about the skirt wearing men in our society....

We'll see. In all seriousness, while I'm sure he'd be our advocate... I'm also sure he gets thousands of emails daily, so again... we'll see...

Email: (in italics)

Dear Mr. Pitts.

As always, I enjoy reading your columns in my local paper, the Bristol Herald Courier. I found myself reading your column regarding Hasbro and women hero's, and thought I would write a few thoughts of my own. While I certainly appreciate and agree with your article, I'd like to point out, that in my opinion, it only discusses one side of the problem. That side being that there aren't enough "women hero's" in the toy market. And it's true. It's mostly baby and barbie dolls, pink electric cars, and little play kitchens. I would love to see more girls toys geared towards more gender neutral lines, to teach young girls that they don't have to grow up to be a housewife, or bimbo (Barbie), that they too can be just as successful in their adult lives as the men of the world.

As I ran through the hypothetical situation in my head, of what would happen if more toy makers began to create and market heroic toys for boys and girls alike. I wondered would the boys play with them too? What would go through a young boys mind if he were to open the hottest action figure of what ever big movie is trending at the time, and it's a woman? I feel most boys would chuck it off to the side.

And there lies the other side of the problem... Our society teaches girls that theirs is a place of submission, tending the home, raising children, etc, and that boys is a place of dominance, tackling the worlds problems, making the money, and doing the hands on work. This is a problem that is much deeper than simply the marketing of toys, but gets deep down into the very fabric of our culture. A culture that is being challenged by current gender debates. As a young boy myself, I personally liked playing with the little toy kitchens, doll houses, and so on. However my conservative family discouraged it strongly, and would tease me about it often to the point where eventually I just quit it all together. But I never actually liked playing with the "boys toys", never was really into sports, or other competitive activities.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, I believe this is just as much a boy problem as it is a girl problem. In our modern society, girls are often championed for being "Tom boys", however if a boy decides he likes more feminine activities, then he will be teased, bullied, and ostracized. I'm now 35 years old, and live my life as a typical man would, for the most part. I do my part taking care of my wife and daughter. I hold down a full time job. I can drive a stick, and back a trailer, and am generally pretty handy around the house and automobile. But I also still like cooking, reading, sewing, and other activities that have been traditionally associated with women.

Recently I began changing my wardrobe to include more feminine attire, including skirts and some dresses. I don't like to think of myself as a crossdresser, mainly because this same rule doesn't seem to apply to women, and in addition I don't go as far as to wear underwear and wigs. No, I simply like the comfort of the garments, as well as the style. I feel they portray my inner feminine side, however I do still consider myself a man, and I don't consider myself "transgender". It was however during my time wearing skirts out in public, and discussing it with different people that I have learned how difficult it is, in our modern world of freedom, tolerance, and understanding, to wear something as harmless as a skirt. I worry that the practice may cost me family, friends, and employment opportunities. I have been denied the use of certain accommodations in public simply for being a skirt wearing man, where as it seems the general consensus is that any man who wear's something traditionally for a woman must be some type of creep or pervert. Yet women do not seem to suffer this prejudice if they choose to wear a man's business suit. I find it to be a completely overlooked double standard, and another example of how men's social freedoms are greatly restricted. Yes I'll admit that in many area's of society, men generally have it made, however if a man decides he wants to break from tradition, or the status quo, he will find that he may be wanting in his quest for freedom.

Yes we do have a problem with how our society regards women. They are not fine china, they're people and should receive all the respect due to them that they deserve. However I'll ask that you consider that we also have a problem with how our society views men who want to explore their feminine side. Until the latter problem is rectified, the former problem will always stand. We must teach our young boys that yes, it's cool to be a girl too. And if boys want to grow up to do girly things, that's okay.

As always, a pleasure reading your columns.

Sincerely,

Goodluck!