Why is it wrong to paint a little boy’s toenails? or Stupid gender labels

This topic has been covered before by others but it still bothers the hell out of me. I’ll go back a little bit for those that may not have heard about it.

Last year a woman, Jenna Lyons, and her young son were part of a layout for a JCrew photo advertisement. In the photo spread she is seen painting the child’s toenails hot pink. There were so many negative responses to these images, it was unreal. Parents and nonparents alike voiced their opinions about her actions. Some claimed that she was being cruel to her child by adorning him with nail polish. Others have decided that by painting her son’s toenails she is grooming him to become either a feminine male or a homosexual.

I’m sorry but in this day and age, how can so many people be this close-minded? I know everyone is entitled to their opinion and I do not want to offend anyone with mine. How does painting a child’s toenails make them anything other than happy? Please understand that I am not saying anything against being homosexual, transgender or anyone else. In fact, I have several friends and family members that are openly gay and I love spending time with them. 

In response to all of the controversy around the ad there were a number of articles and posts with countless comments. One educated opinion was by Dr. Jack Drescher, a New York City psychiatrist. He stated, "I can say with 100 percent certainty that a mother painting her children's toe nails pink does not cause transgenderism or homosexuality or anything else that people who are social conservatives would worry about."

I know a guy who was angry with his sister-in-law because she painted her little boy’s toenails. The back story on that one: the boy has a sister, the mommy painted his sister’s nails and he wanted to be included. She painted his nails a deep blue, nothing cutesy or frilly about that. The little boy just wanted to share something with his mom and sister. He’s under the age of 5, his personality and personal preferences are still developing and constantly changing. If painting his toes makes him happy, then by God, paint that little dude’s toes!

The stereotype that boys cannot wear, do or want anything that is deemed “feminine” is ridiculous!

A little girl can roughhouse and get dirty and she’s just considered a tomboy and no one has a problem with that. Some men love that their daughters are tomboys, they are so proud of having a tough little munchkin that can protect herself.

A little boy wants to play house and stay clean and he is called a sissy, which by most male standards is one of the worst things to be called. Teasing a little boy for wanting to be creative and gentle will enforce the idea that those are not things that a “real” man should be. Yes, let’s teach boys that housework is not for them, that it is women’s work only.

Things at are apparently inappropriate for boys of our modern age:

Nail polish-except black, that’s ok on occasion because it is a masculine shade

Makeup-which is funny because for many years in our history heavy makeup was worn by men and women alike; Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Babylonians

Playing with dolls-guess what, action figures are dolls, they are just more rugged or badass in appearance, but they are still dolls

Little girls and women can wear whatever they want and do whatever they want as far as hobbies and careers and they are not usually labeled derogatory terms. Little boys or men that want to wear or do something that is considered female oriented are labeled any one of many nasty derogatory names.

Just because a little boy wants polish on his toes or wants to play dolls does not mean that he is going to grow up to be homosexual, not that that is a bad thing.