- Hot pink-toenailed boy in J. Crew ad sparks controversy
By Brett Michael Dykes
When J. Crew sent out its latest catalog, we doubt that the classic clothing company expected it would be blasted by social conservatives as "transgendered child propaganda." But alas, it has.
The images in question fall under pages titled "Saturday with Jenna" -- featuring products personally favored by J. Crew president and creative director Jenna Lyons and her family. This particular Saturday for Jenna includes painting her five-year-old son Beckett's toenails pink. The caption reads, "Lucky for me I ended up with a boy whose favorite color is pink. Toenail painting is way more fun in neon."
Cue the outrage from America's culture warriors.
"Yeah, well, it may be fun and games now, Jenna, but at least put some money aside for psychotherapy for the kid—and maybe a little for others who'll be affected by your 'innocent' pleasure," Dr. Keith Ablow wrote in a Fox News op-ed. "If you have no problem with the J. Crew ad, how about one in which a little boy models a sundress? What could possibly be the problem with that?"
Erin Brown of the Media Research Center took the criticism a step further -- after being sure to remind readers that J. Crew is a fashion favorite of First Lady Michelle Obama -- accusing the company of exploiting young Beckett to advance the cause of "liberal, transgendered identity politics."
The ABC News report on the kerfuffle, below, includes a reaction from Sarah Manley, who set off a similar firestorm last Halloween after posting photos of her young son dressed up as his unconventional idol: Daphne from "Scooby Doo." Manley said today of the J.Crew ad, "If the roles had been reversed and the photo...had been of a little girl playing in the mud with trucks, nobody would have batted an eye."
Some of the comments I Agree with ....
Is this really THAT big of a deal?
Meh...I say no. HOWEVER. It's J CREW. The preppy prestigious company I mean hello they are def not ones to be controversial right!? Then why couldn't someone in the editing department changed the dang polish color!? Jeeish.
Now the real question becomes....
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
I agree, I don't think it's a big deal at all! You can totally see they are just being playful. It says "I'm lucky I have a son who loves pink," so she obviously didn't FORCE him to have pink toe nails.
ReplyDeleteI can understand how certain people would be worried by this photo, but I don't agree. I think the picture is precious!
I think its all a bunch of crap and the pic is super cute so who cares. :) When I heard this on the Today show the other morning I was like "really? this is news worthy?" but maybe I'm the minority. I mean, I wouldn't want my son to paint his toe nails pink....but I would certainly paint my boy dogs toenails pink. :)
ReplyDeleteasked Mister Wonderful when he got home. I said what if we had a son, and I painted his toe nails pink, how would you feel? he immediately said that he really wouldn't be to happy. It's not so much about the COLOR PINK. It's more of the fact that painting finger nails toe nails is a feminine thing, not a guy thing. Although it shouldnt be a big deal since the boy is so young, but was made a big deal bec it was well published rather than just going on at home behind closed doors type thing...
ReplyDeleteI don't think this is a big deal at all and people are blowing it way out of proportion! My view on it is this: children that young are still sort of clueless about gender differences and they all play together. They don't understand that their best friends who are girls can paint their nails, but they can't. It is very silly that people are up in arms about this!
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's a big deal while they're young but I would worry somewhat if they were much older still rockin' the polish haha. Interesting article though! Thanks for sharing it miss!
ReplyDeletePretty ridic!!
ReplyDeleteOOK SO funny that you wrote this! I am working on my blog post for later today and I SWEAR I am putting in pictures of my 3 year old painting his nails pink, painting mine pink and painting my husbands black. SU funny! I am SO linking this to my post today.
ReplyDeleteI personally don't think it's that big of a deal. It's a clothing ad, and that's it. People will make a big deal out of nothing!
ReplyDeleteI personally don't think it's that big of a deal. It's a clothing ad, and that's it. People will make a big deal out of nothing!
ReplyDeleteI love Jenna Lyons. She is a genius. Easily there are little boys nationwide who love the color pink, and maybe even want to paint their nails, she just happens to be in the spotlight. I say it's not a big deal. It will blow over and I guarantee her son will turn out just fine...
ReplyDeleteWe have bigger issues in the world than being concerned about her son wearing pink nail polish.
ReplyDeleteI personally don't think it's a big deal. My 3 yr old nephew loves to have his toes nails painted. He has a big sister & he wants to do things just like her. He usually chooses a color like black or blue but I don't think that pink is an issue either. His daddy on the other hand isn't a fan of his boy having his toe nails painted.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting 'controversy.' I'm pretty traditional as far as men and women and boys and girls go.
ReplyDeleteBut being a kid is all about discovering the world. Big and small. Little boys spend a lot of time with their moms and watch and learn lots of things that aren't specific to their gender roles.
Breathe easy, America! What about those skinny kids from other countries? That is a controversy.
I think its 100% ridiculous. But my problem with it goes far beyond what everytone is talking about. I hate that America is still so closeminded. The reason why everyone has a problem with this is that they are afraid that its going to make the boy more feminine
ReplyDeleteOMG whats the big deal with having more feminine men out there. Trust me there are enough "Men's men" out there to allow some guys to be more feminine. Seriously. boys will make their own chouces just like girls.
If my son wants to wear pink nail polish when he is 5 or when he is 20 im not going to haev a problem with it.
why cant we all just accept people for how they are? Because the moral police have to jump in and tell you how to raise children, how you are suppose to be, and impose gender roles on everyone still.
UGH I HATE Fox news (yes Im a liberal lol I think you can tell)
i don't think its a big deal at all!!!
ReplyDeletei actually think almost all little boys want their nails or toes painted after seeing their mom do it all the time. my nephew always wanted his nails painted, so his mom would always just paint his pinky fingers. whatever you gotta do to make your kiddos happy :)
what little kid doesn't like make believe and dress up? whether it's an army outfit or pink nail polish it's all fun to them! i can't believe this was news worthy.
ReplyDeleteto each their own. When i was growing up, my brother played with my barbies and everything and helped me play house. :)
ReplyDeleteLike most people on here- I don't see a problem with it.. a boy putting on nail polish as something so temporary is like a girl trying out for baseball or basketball etc. It is one simple thing that lets a child have fun for one moment in his/her life. It is not a gender-only thing. News and media sites are really exaggerating it a lot...Nail polish is fun, my niece must paint their nails whenever my sister does.. doesn't it make sense?- see mommy, do as mommy does!:)
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's a big deal at ALL. I think a kid wanted to paint his darn nails. He's a kid! Who.freaking.cares. If people are still that homophobic, THEY'RE the ones that need help, not this cute little boy and/or JCREW. Sheesh. I had a MUCH bigger problem with Abercrombie selling PADDED bikini tops for little girls under the age of 8. To me, that's a much bigger issue. I mean, our society is okay with making 8 year old girls provocative and sexy in a swimsuit, but not okay with a little 5 year old boy who wants to paint his nails? Gawd. Go figure.
ReplyDelete