In a recent ad for J. Crew, its President and Creative Director, Jenna Lyons, is seen holding her 5 year-old son's bare feet as both sport wide grins. What is instantly noticeable on her son Beckett's feet are his BRIGHT PINK TOENAILS. In the full layout of the ad, the toenail polish is clearly seen nearby, suggesting that mom just painted her son's toenails. It is also clear that both seem to be having a blast. The caption for the advertisement reads, in part: "Lucky for me, I ended up with a boy whose favorite color is pink".
Controversy surrounding the advertisement was virtually instantaneous. Pundits, psychologists, and parents all weighed in. Conservatives were outraged, claiming that this was a deliberate and unhealthy blurring of the boundaries of gender identity. Liberals fought back saying that the outrage was blown way out of proportion. Most children under the age of 7 experiment with both traditional gender roles before settling on one or the other.
Although my feelings lie somewhere between the two camps, I have to say that I am more sympathetic to the conservative POV than the liberal one. As I have written on many occasions, I am very much in favor of freedom of choice across the board. People have an unalienable right to make choices that concern how they live, how they love, and the image they choose to present to others. However, we're talking about a 5 YEAR-OLD CHILD here. Yes, he may like his toenails painted. And, yes, he may even like them painted PINK. However, I'm sure that he NEVER suggested to his Creative Director mother that he should be used in an advertisement that was bound to be SO CONTROVERSIAL. No, that was not the SON's choice but, obviously, the MOTHER's.
In my opinion, she, and her company decided to use this boy to make a point. He's too damned young to even pronounce gender identity much less freakin' UNDERSTAND it. And, when he grows to be a man, he will have to live with that picture. Perhaps, by that time (if he's lucky!), the line between the genders will be totally obscured. The problem is, it ain't that way now! You know at some point in his life, he is due for some grief over that photo. Perhaps it shouldn't be that way and the mom is trying to change that. But to offer your son up for that purpose is unconscionable.
It's also unrealistic and unsustainable. Men and Women are different BY DESIGN. We are different genetically, chemically, emotionally, and physically. And IT WAS MEANT TO BE SO. Why must we continually fuck with Mother Nature to suit our own emotional and political means? Why do we not celebrate our differences as the variety that adds the spice to our lives? I love my wife (and women) not because she is the SAME but because she is DIFFERENT. If I wanted the same, I would have cloned and then fucked myself!
So, don't give me this gender blurring bull shit. I am proud to be a man and look like one. And, yes, I also have a strong feminine side that I am not afraid to show. But that is not the greater part of me. I have always identified with men in the traditional sense. And, even at the age of 5, if you asked me to paint my toenails pink, I would have told you that "I would rather stick needles in my eyes". Now, I can't speak for young Beckett but I'm willing to bet you that it certainly wasn't HIS idea to create a gender-bending advertisement out of a play session with his mom. Shame on her and J. Crew for using a 5 year-old boy to sell shirts - and controversy!
No comments:
Post a Comment