There's two interesting points you can talk about on this one.
First, watch the video HERE. It runs a few minutes.
So, a mom -- who happens to be the #2 person at J.Crew -- is coloring her boys toenails pink. Is this right, or wrong, in your opinion?
The video, around the 1:23 mark, mentions a counter response blog from Dr. David Ablow, a sometime contributor to Fox News. It's linked to in the story, but you can read it HERE.
Two things struck me about this article. One was the story itself. Is this pushing the edge of gender identity too far? Do you think we should leave things well enough alone, or have we not gone far enough? Does this even matter at all, or is this a tempest-in-a-teacup (much ado about nothing)?
The second thing that hit me was the angle of reporting itself. Did The Lookout even bother to take an even view of the situation, or did they completely cherry pick their interviews (and resultant points of view) in this article? And something else of note: at the end of the interview, Robin Roberts actually makes a comment stating that she knows the J.Crew executive featured in the ad, and vouches for her. Is this something a journalist should do (despite the fluff-show format, Roberts has won awards for her journalism and is considered a quality reporter)? Which leads me to the second point: should we accept journalistic bias in the reporting we consume? Regardless of point of view, does this "positioning" of the story hurt or harm the discussion of the points?
Discuss either point at the usual length -- 300-500 words.
Okay first of all dressing your child as Daphne off of scooby doo for halloween is different from painting your sons toenails for no aparent reason! Stereotype? No that has nothing to do with this in my eyes. Your child does what you teach them to do. I'm not a parent or anything, but I know that this is generally not the right thing to do. Boys are masculine compared to girls, their not suppose to be exposed to girlie ways. Especially at a young age because later on in life the child will be confused of their own identity. I'm not judging this lady because I don't know her but my opinion, painting a 5 year old boys toenails hot pink is wrong.
ReplyDeleteFirst off fashion people are weird anyways so this shouldn’t have brought up such a big conflict. They always are trying to contradict everyday normal things to get attention for more sales. But to the point about this being right or wrong I would have to say that it is wrong to publicly display this act. She was obviously just trying to get attention. That’s why she had a backup argument stating that girls playing in mud wouldn’t be seen as so wrong. But I don’t see anything wrong with painting your son’s toenails in privacy unless he’s like 20 or something. That’s when you start questioning but to due it at 5 and as long as the kid has a choice not to do it then it’s fine. There’s just something wrong to exploit it for your design magazine knowing it will cause a stir.
ReplyDeleteTo the point that it’s crossing the gender line too far I’d say that it is. You don’t want to be encouraging cross dressing on a kid that is 5 years old because these are the learning stages of his life and what his parents force on to him is how he’s going to end up. Its scary enough that guys are starting to wear eye makeup, skinny jeans and wear their hair long. We don’t need a country with a whole bunch of girly men. It’s not a good thing when guys are more knowledgeable about fashion than girls.
I think that we all just have to accept bias journalism. Because there’s no way that it is ever going anywhere. The reason why this lady is considered a good journalist is because she shows only the part of the story that gets a reaction out of the audience. News would be even more boring if they all showed all sides of the story. I believe many people think its half the fun arguing with the reporters over a subject because they have the opposite opinion. The news is no longer an information presenter but an instigator to create something out of nothing like this article. I mean who cares if someone paints a kids toenails. Isn’t there more stuff that is more relevant going on in the world?
I think the interesting thing about this article is the fact that no one really says if the toenail painting was the boy’s idea or the mother’s. I would have to say that there is no real problem with the toenail painting if it is the boy’s idea, but it really seems to me that the mom is trying to use her child as a publicity stunt. I think this is where it really becomes a problem and could really cause the kid problems in the future. It’s just not cool that this fashion mogul is just using her son to spark controversy and sell more clothing. As I said before I really don’t think there is anything wrong with the act itself, just the way its been exploited. Little kids like to play and I’ve seen little cousins or friends kids putting on their mom’s high heels or goofy womens hats, its just innocent fun but no one is exploiting this and using pictures to sell clothing. I do think that it is taking it a bit far saying that activities like this will cause gender confusion. If it is in the privacy of your own home its innocent as long as the child has a say in it.
ReplyDeleteAs for the whole journalism angle, the video is very one-sided and really is not an example of good journalism. A journalist in a perfect world should not report any bias but I do have to agree with Delker in that it really makes for some boring stories, at least when its one sided it sparks conversation. As to whether this article is relevant to anything I would have to say it is a lot to do about nothing and honestly who cares, there are way more important issues in the world!
Wow, this is without a doubt the most ridiculous blogpost we have yet to come across. It acutally took me a few minutes to accept that we are about to hold a class forum on the merit of a mother painting her child's toes pink. Damn, it must really be reaching the end of the semester.
ReplyDeleteLike, I really have no idea what to even say here.
I try playing out how exactly a rational debate could be held on the topic but every variation ultimately leads to a shouting match that its either really effeminate or not effeminate at all to paint your kids toe's pink, which usually disintegrates into nothing more than irate personal attacks mixed with homophobic slurs... ill spar the details.
Watching this video and reading that article honestly put me in a state that is probably best described as mourning for humanity.
yeah, i know i've been coming off as preachy in these past few blogpost,(for the few of you who read these-my bad) but really once we start condoning this sort of trivia as newsworthy then we might as well break out the sticks and start looking for the best cave realty because all hopes of higher intelligence have been irreversibly exterminated.
having said that, painting your kid's toe nails pink is pretty girlie.
I didn’t find someone doing something like this surprising. She was obviously in desperate need for attention and used her little boy to receive that attention. This was very poor parenting and extremely inconsiderate. This picture may follow her son and cause him to be ridiculed by his peers. Why would one want to set their son up for that? She’s selfish. If she wants the attention so bad she shouldn’t be using her son to get it. The comment “Lucky for me, I ended up with a boy whose favorite color is pink. Toenail painting is way more fun in neon” was basically saying HEY MY LITTLE BOY HAS PINK TOENAILS!
ReplyDeleteI do not believe she is setting her son up to be homosexual but she may be setting him up to be transgender. That may be extreme but if she is painting his toenails pink then she might be dressing him in pink dresses. What’s the difference? If she’s painting his toenails pink why not dress him in a pink dress? It wouldn’t surprise me. He’s a little boy. Unless he has older sisters, I doubt it was his idea to have pink toenails.
She’s trying to show that it’s ok to be different and that isn’t what she is doing. People like J Crew are not showing their children it is ok to be different but they are showing their children it is better to be different. It is ok to be different but why force yourself to be different? That isn’t being yourself, that’s being someone else.
What the mother did was harmless. She was simply having a good time with her son and that’s her prerogative. I personally as a guy would never paint my sons toenails, but when it comes to the boy’s mother doing it, then it’s ok once in a while. I feel that as long as the mother didn’t force her son into putting the nail polish on then it’s harmless. People are blowing this way out of proportion. The boy seems happy with what is going on. I feel like the reporters stuck their noses into somewhere it didn’t really belong. This magazine seems to be a kid oriented magazine and the kid is just a model for it. Like I said, if the kid was to have a problem with it and tell his mom no, then there is a real problem. As far as us excepting the journalists views and comments on certain points is absolutely ridiculous. First of all we can’t even be sure that this is the view of the reporter. Maybe she is being told to say this stuff. Secondly, their job is to make a big deal out of these articles and spread controversy. It’s what draws people to their show. The fact that Robin Roberts says she vouches for the J. Crew executive means very little to me. I don’t really take a reporter serious with anything they say unless it’s live and I can see it with my own eyes. We also can't pass up the fact that that child is her own and they can do whatever they please.
ReplyDeleteI feel the toenails were harmless. Yes even when I was younger i remember putting makeup on my cousin who is a boy. Just like that guy said in the interview on fox he turned out okay and straight! If you look at the fashion now a days you will see many guys wearing finger nail and toe nail polish. Yes you might find all of them at some punk rock concert but that doesn't make a difference. What the big issue I see here is why make such a big deal. If teens and grown men can walk around like this and still be considered straight why does this matter with a little boy? Another factor is this kid looks around 7 or 8. I think he can make some decisions like saying yes or no to something by himself. He is not some helpless, non speaking two year old. He has words and a voice, plus this woman does not look like the person to force her child to wear nail polish. We have been telling kids in school to except everyone no matter what the race or interest in sex. Even if this boy was going towards being gay why does it matter? Let him live his life. Everyone knows the news comes back and bites you. When he is starting high school this will follow him so make sure you think about that next time you decided to make a national wide news spread about some innocent young child!
ReplyDeleteLeave Beckett alone, isn’t he expressing his personality?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, Beckett hasn’t learned how to express himself yet. He hasn’t learned anything to express. This mother (and father) should be teaching their son how to be a respectable man and fulfill the cultural role of a man. Instead of painting his toenails pink, the mother should have been encouraging and teaching masculine identifiers. A lot of controversy has emerged and people are defending this child and his mother. “What if it was his idea? Let him do what he wants if he is happy”. There are among the common arguments used against anyone who believes in societal roles.
Despite the ever increasing popularity of cross-gendered and “multi-cultured” individuals, we still need clearly defined gender roles and role identifiers. These identifiers enable us to function efficiently and smoothly. The boy who is having his nails painted, Beckett, is only 5 years old. Every 5 year old that I have met, including the one who I live with, rely on their authority figures to prepare them for their role in society. If this young boy wanted his nails painted pink, it is not because he wants to experience a new role or a different culture, it is because he saw it on another person and wanted it himself. Cue the parent role. Upon learning of her son’s interest, the mother should have guided him and explained to him that painting your nails is considered a “girlie” thing and that little boys don’t do it. Trusting in his parents’ decision, the child will learn.
Though what about Beckett’s happiness? Beckett looks genuinely happy in that ad while his mother painted his nails. Why ruin his happiness? Have we really become so soft that we are worried of hurting the feelings of our child for a few minutes? I’m sure Beckett would have been just as happy doing anything else with his mother. Maybe even playing in the mud with some trucks! Yea! Git ‘R Don!
Need I forget the video from the mother of the male Daphne. She so eloquently compares a little girl playing in mud with trucks on par with painting a little boys nails. She mentions that if were a little girl playing in the mud, no one would have battered an eye. Her ignorance is not bliss. Playing outside, whether in the mud or grass, with toys, is not gender specific. Present American culture doesn’t really define playing in the mud as a masculine or feminine activity. It’s merely kids being kids. However, it is culturally unacceptable for a young boy to have painted nails. Though it may not be fair, it is the way our society functions.
When little Beckett grows up into a man, he will be able to make his own decisions. If he then wishes to throw off his shackles of gender oppression and paint his nails, then by all means, go right ahead. It is your right to do whatever you wish with your body. At least he will have an appropriate masculine upbringing that will allow him to fulfill the role of a man if he so chooses.
The issue to me is kind of lame. I get both sides of it and I am on neither side because I don’t care all that much. I don’t think I would let my boy have pink toe nails just for a fun weekend because that is kind of a mother daughter activity but either way it probably does not matter that much. But for your second point I do think robin was sticking up for the j crew woman and also she probably would do the same with her child. I think it is totally unprofessional to do what she did. Her face perked right up when saying it was an ok thing to do. News workers should always keep their own opinions out as best they can of what they report. Too much today do news workers ad news stations put their own bias into the reports. I don’t like the fact the news stations are generally either right winged or left winged in all that they report. This makes me feel that anything I hear on the news or anywhere has a second agenda behind it. This is why I was uneasy about the nuclear power blog because it is possible that the people who wrote either a for or against it blog had backing from nuclear companies or maybe the coal companies had people write in opposition. If someone is going to be bias on toe nails who’s to say what else they might be bias on!!! ((Alternate ending: If someone is going to be bias a child’s toenails is the least of my concerns.) It is too easy to change ideas of things using the same information)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMy input on is that it's not normal, no I don't think that the little boy will off ripe be gay because his mom painted his toes and even to paint them pink but I do think that this may play with the little boy mind to think these feminine things is okay for him to do. Our parents are the first people who helps see whats right and whats wrong in the world and for the mom who thought it was okay to let her child dress up like a full blown female character was outrageous and then to change the roles around like that made it better made her seem even more ridiculous to me. There are double standards in this world no it is not fine or normal for a man to wear a skirt but yes woman can wear pants. See stop this nonsense MAJORITY RULES and I do think you have issues if you honestly thought it was okay to paint a little boy who don't any better toenails and PINK! Pink is the girliest color, if your son was wrapped up in a pink blanket instead of a blue one out of the hospital would you expect people to think that's a little boy or little girl? Its just not normal am I right because if you think otherwise your not!
ReplyDeleteI believe that painting a boys toenails at a young age teaches them that acting like a girl is acceptable. I don't approve of what the mother was doing with her son, I would not want my future wife doing that to my son. I think that boys should learn to be boys from a young age, and girls should learn to be girls from a young age because what they learn at that period of time sticks to them for life. Also the author mentioned how boys start to care too much about their looks to the point where less will begin serving their countries, and more most likely will not be good enough parents because they wont care about them. In my opinion I think boys should stick to being boys and acting like boys so they can grow up to be men and girls should act like girls to grow up to be ladies. The second part about the reporter giving her opinion on the situation was wrong because she asked the audience to leave their comments on the situation on facebook, and many people take and follow the opinions of those who are on t.v.
ReplyDeleteLike most other people who've commented so far, I also believe that Lyons was mostly in it for the attention. I don't think it's exactly harmful to paint your son's toe nails...but I wouldn't suggest it. Sure it may seem like it is an activity that you both share and enjoy, and maybe the child actually does want his toes to be pink. What has to be thought about is public opinion. No matter how many times parents tell their children that it doesn't matter what other people think, a young adult—especially a child—is easily influenced by the thoughts of others. The world still runs on a initial judging basis. The first glimpse of a person someone gets, is what they have to base their thoughts and feelings on.
ReplyDeleteA random person walking down the street may see this mother with her son and his pink toe nails, and start questioning her mental soundness. Likewise, if the child's peers at school knew he let his mother paint his nails, they would probably mock him. Tell him that he must be a girl because he lets his mom paint his toes. Taunting and teasing can scar a child.
I'm not saying that you should deny your child the chance to explore different experiences (within reason of course). If I had a son, and he wanted me to paint his toe nails, I'd probably do it. I wouldn't take a picture and put it on the internet! I feel it is important to allow children to explore their gender. Growing up, one of the neighbor boys would often come over and play dress-up with my sister. We understood that it was all in good fun, and weren't worried about his thoughts about himself. We didn't worry that he might be “gay”, or might wish he was female instead of male. He just wanted to have fun. I think this article and video exaggerated the entire situation. People should leave well enough alone, and likewise, parents should not exploit their children.