Poll: Does this inspire controversy?

[ten.to.ten]

Look at how happy the kid is, it's a bit of harmless fun that he's obviously enjoying, how could you possibly think it's wrong?

 

[manythings]

More importantly since when were stripes gay?

Not to cut the rest of that short, but I think the issue is more with the pink toe nail painting.

Apparently people are also taking issue with the gayness of the shirt.

 

[emeraldrafael]

More importantly since when were stripes gay?

Not to cut the rest of that short, but I think the issue is more with the pink toe nail painting.

Apparently people are also taking issue with the gayness of the shirt.

Must have missed that. I only saw the price and how it was advertising the shirt as the spring shirt design.

 

[Daniel Moores]

Who cares?

 

[Jamboxdotcom]

dude... that is insane. i don't know many guys (mostly straight), who haven't had their nails did at some point. hell, i think most of the gay guys i know would be less likely to have their nails painted than the straight guys. f***in' aye!

 

[Drake666]

I didn't even see the pink toenail polish :|

 

[minty81]

Of course not, its harmless fun.

 

[Tulks]

Besides the first impression "holy shit is she about to kiss that kid?!" no not really

This was my first impression of the picture, before reading the article.

Honestly, I wouldn't've even considered this to be an issue.

 

[conflictofinterests]

Gender confused? Are we going to go off on a gender roles tangent again? We could do that you know. "GENDER ROLES ARE AN ARTIFICIAL CONSTRUCT AND DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT CULTURES." Also, the ever popular "WHY DOES THE BOY HAVE TO NOT HAVE PAINTED TOENAILS IF HE WANTS THEM? WHY DOES THAT MEAN HE'S GENDER CONFUSED? HIS NAILS ARE JUST WEIRD COLORED." Simultaneously we could go "MAYBE HE'S EXPRESSING EARLY FEELINGS OF TRANSSEXUALISM?" or "WHY DOES PAINTED TOENAILS ON A BOY MEAN TRANSSEXUAL ANYWAYS?"

Basically it's controversial 1) Because someone noticed something I didn't originally (I really did a double take when I read that his toenails were painted) and 2) Because it calls into questions one of the basic tenants of Western culture today, something practiced beyond the point of questioning it (Unless we're talking about those crazy taboo Transsexual people) (Namely gender roles and how they are instilled in children)

 

[the rye]

There is no controversy in the picture, just a mother and son.

edit. The only thing wrong is the colour she chose to paint his nails, pinks a yucky colour.

 

[Gigano]

It's a mother playing with her small son.

I pity the society and people who'd find that controversial, I really do.

 

[DTWolfwood]

don't feed the trolls. Ignore it before it gains anymore power!

what a completely asinine thing to waste your time on. WHO THE FUCK looks at an ad that closely? NO ONE. so y is this even a issue.

 

[emeraldrafael]

don't feed the trolls. Ignore it before it gains anymore power!

what a completely asinine thing to waste your time on. WHO THE FUCK looks at an ad that closely? NO ONE. so y is this even a issue.

Thats honestly what I'm wondering.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

I'm fairly sure this is really recent, but I'm sorry if someone else made this thread or if its old new and no one cares.

I saw this on CNN, then on my MSN messenger's news feed, but Supposedly the new J. Crew ad has inspired some major controversy for some reason.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V4O4uPoFq0k/TaR7jTEBJMI/AAAAAAAAFlA/B7XxAHt2qfI/s320/jcrew+mailer+nail+polish.jpg
^The Ad in Question

The ad is supposed to be a mail order ad featuring one of the designers and her son, and people are saying that because his mother is painting his toes (and pink at that), the boy is gender confused and that the ad is an attempt at the young gender confused market (since the boy is sporting the new striped sweater). I should mention this boy is five, and is spending time with his mom, who I'm guessing he doesnt get to on an everyday basis.

The pciture was then shown to two young boys (one nine, the other five) and the nine year old noted the boy in the ad looked happy, and the five year old asked if he could paint his toes as well.

So I'm wondering, why is this so offensive and controversial? I dont see anything wrong with it, to me its just a boy and his mom spending time together. I'm not saying he's genderconfused, i'm not saying he's not. Just I dont see the issue.

So Escapist community, do you think/see this is/as offensive?

<spoiler=Article and source>There?s a new J.Crew ad that has some people?s undergarments in the proverbial wad.

Let?s see if you can figure out what has sparked the mini-controversy:

A. The mailer, sent out April 5, was a promotion for free shipping if a customer spends $150 or more.

B. The mailer, which featured J.Crew designer Jenna Lyons and her darling, tow-headed son Beckett, highlights a grey-and-white Coastline-stripe pullover, $65.

C. The photo shows Lyons smiling and holding Beckett?s feet, which are painted in pink Essie for J.CREW nail polish, and has Lyons? quote, ?Lucky for me, I ended up with a boy whose favorite color is pink.?

Since free shipping is always nice, and nautical stripes are totally in this spring, the reason for concern must be ?C.? Or as this story from the Culture and Media Institute describes, it?s that J.Crew is ?targeting a new demographic ? mothers of gender-confused boys.?

Writes CMI?s Erin R. Brown:

J.CREW, known for its tasteful and modest clothing, apparently does not mind exploiting Beckett behind the façade of liberal, transgendered identity politics. One has to wonder what young boys in pink nail polish has to do with selling women's clothing.

(Hmmmm. We think the reason J.Crew used the photo is that it shows a happy, stylish mom bonding with her kid. (Doesn?t that make you want to buy a pullover, stat?) Plus, bright pink nail polish is all kinds of fun, especially on little toenails.)

Brown adds that the ad is part of something bigger:

Propaganda pushing the celebration of gender-confused boys wanting to dress and act like girls is a growing trend, seeping into mainstream culture. NBC's Today show on January 3 featured a segment on the 'Princess Boy' in which five-year-old Dyson Kilodavis was seen twirling in pink ballerina tutu, much to the delight of his mother Cheryl and host Meredith Vieira.

Seattle-based Kilodavis wrote the children's book My Princess Boy, which was inspired by her own son who is partial to wearing dresses. We asked her what she thinks about the ad and Brown?s story, both of which were sent to her by numerous Facebook friends.

Says Kilodavis: ?I feel like the ad is very natural, very real. I love the fact that it shows a mom who is supporting her son. Maybe the little boy likes pink and likes his toenails painted. Is it harming anyone?? She adds: ?Why does it have to be categorized as gender confusion? We just have to get to a place of acceptance.?

Kilodavis showed the ad to both of her sons and asked them what they thought.

Nine-year-old Dkobe responded: ?Oh, he looks happy.?

Meanwhile, 5-year-old Dyson said: ?Can I paint mine pink, too??

What do you think? Does this ad bother you?

<url=http://moms.today.com/_news/2011/04/12/6458726-jcrew-ad-stirs-up-controversy-with-pink-nail-polish?GT1=43001>Source

Oh, gender roles, you never fail to start up trouble and make me facepalm.

 

[mrdude2010]

no not at all wtf is wrong with people, young kids are never the adults they turn into, and who doesnt try random ass shit they turn out not to like at a young age?

 

[thejackyl]

OT: Who gives a fuck? He's 5.

This. He's 5 and doesn't know that he's "Not supposed to wear pink or color his toenails". Other than the "shocking"(and I say that sarcastically) boy coloring his toenails, there isn't anything wrong with this.

Hell, I played with Barbies when I was 3.

So did me and my brothers... Well, they were Gem dolls, but still.

young kids are never the adults they turn into, and who doesnt try random ass shit they turn out not to like at a young age?

One exception would be my brother, he played with Barbies, danced to Madonna, and watched "Girly" cartoons when he was younger. He was shocked when no one was surprised when he came out of the closet. And I'd still rather hang out with him than the rest of my family.