Would you let your SON dress up as a princess at Disney?

[Magpie]

I wasn't saying that every 3 year old that puts on a dress is gay. I was just telling about a friend's child who is gay and likes to wear women's clothing.

I'm not gay, yet in the past month, I have had a beauty makeover done on me by a group of girls(perfectly good explanation), and have modeled the new summer line of Victoria Secret lingerie for a close friend(another perfectly good explanation - nothing freaky).

Soo... what's the perfectly good explanation? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[Goofyluver]

I'll let you be the one.

 

[Liberty Belle]

The difference lies between the folks who are unwilling to veer from societal norms and those that choose not to allow their lives to be dictated by them.

If we're speaking specifically in terms of ridicule for going against those norms (and we very much are on this thread), I'm unclear where the rigidity exists in the individuals who are saying that stepping outside of the norm is acceptable and that they would allow their children to do so.

Apparently, according to some folks, open-mindedness is really closed-mindedness. Who knew?



Someone should tell him that he looks like a girl.

That's the ole "you're not really tolerant because you're not tolerating my intolerance" trick.

 

[eliza61]

Probably not. In order for him to dress up as a princess, I would have to had brought the dress for him and honestly I can't see any situation where I would buy a belle dress for one of my sons.

 

[Wall-E1]

Soo... what's the perfectly good explanation? Inquiring minds want to know.

Well, I was helping out my friend who owns a private school/summer camp. I was on a field trip with the kids. It was a long day. We were getting bored, so the girls decided to do make overs. They offered to make me pretty. I didn't want to be rude and say no.

As to the lingerie... this same friend had gone on vacation. Her Victoria's Secret order arrived at the school while she was gone. She was hoping that the order would have arrived before she had left. I felt bad for her, so to make her feel better I changed into the different lingerie items, modeled them for her and sent the pictures to her iphone. That's just the kind of friend I am.

 

[Katy Belle]

My boys are big now...and Im not sure what I would do...but I have a story about one of my sons.

He was 3 at the time, and The PowerPuff Girls were popular. When the ads came he wanted to be Buttercup. I put it off and he didnt change his mind. I told him most people would call it a girl's costume. I told him it was a dress and a wig. He didnt care, he wanted it. He liked her because she could fly and shoot lasers out of her eyes, she was strong. I asked DH what we should do. DH said buy the costume. I did.

Before he wore it to our church mothers day out, I told the director and his teacher what his costume would be. I could tell they were uncomfortable. At the end of the day I picked him up and the Director and teacher were all smiles. None of the children teased or even seemed to think it was strange. Im glad I let him do it.

Same kid has had long hair many, many times. He doesnt care if hes mistaken as a girl, he corrects the person and goes on. He now has a moustache and short hair, but is growing it out again. And for the record, hes not gay.

 

[Magpie]

Well, I was helping out my friend who owns a private school/summer camp. I was on a field trip with the kids. It was a long day. We were getting bored, so the girls decided to do make overs. They offered to make me pretty. I didn't want to be rude and say no.

As to the lingerie... this same friend had gone on vacation. Her Victoria's Secret order arrived at the school while she was gone. She was hoping that the order would have arrived before she had left. I felt bad for her, so to make her feel better I changed into the different lingerie items, modeled them for her and sent the pictures to her iphone. That's just the kind of friend I am.

You're such a considerate friend!

 

[minkydog]

My boys are big now...and Im not sure what I would do...but I have a story about one of my sons.

He was 3 at the time, and The PowerPuff Girls were popular. When the ads came he wanted to be Buttercup. I put it off and he didnt change his mind. I told him most people would call it a girl's costume. I told him it was a dress and a wig. He didnt care, he wanted it. He liked her because she could fly and shoot lasers out of her eyes, she was strong. I asked DH what we should do. DH said buy the costume. I did.

Before he wore it to our church mothers day out, I told the director and his teacher what his costume would be. I could tell they were uncomfortable. At the end of the day I picked him up and the Director and teacher were all smiles. None of the children teased or even seemed to think it was strange. Im glad I let him do it.

Same kid has had long hair many, many times. He doesnt care if hes mistaken as a girl, he corrects the person and goes on. He now has a moustache and short hair, but is growing it out again. And for the record, hes not gay.

When my DS25 was about 3 he was obsessed with "The Little Mermaid", especially Ariel. He sang the songs constantly and insisted that I sing them to him at bedtime. At some point we acquired a red square dance crinoline, which he loved to touch. One day he came out of his room wearing the big petticoat on his head like a wig. He had true 80s big hair and it was really red. I guess he wore that thing on his head for about 8 months until he tired of it. DS is not gay and he has never expressed interest in wearing women's clothes. He is still very theatrical and likes being different.

 

[JessicaR]

If he wanted to I would, yes.

When my oldest was 3-4 he wanted to be the pink power ranger for Halloween - and so he was.

No big deal - the clothes will not define them.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

Would I let my 3 year old son wear a princess dress to Disney? No, not unless it was Halloween. We all wear costumes and pretend we are someone/thing else for Halloween, and if he had his heart set on Belle, I think I would consider it. Playing dress-up around the house is normal for us, too. I have a photo of my little brother dressed up like a princess when he was about 3 or 4, so I have no doubt my daughter will one day dress her brother up like a princess (and I will make sure to take a picture!). However I would not let my son wear girl's clothing for normal every day wear. It has nothing to do with conforming to societal norms - believe me, we are used to being the odd ones. And btw, I have seen plenty of pink men's shirts. If it looks good on you, by all means, wear pink! And a kilt is most definitely a man's garment.

 

[Michelle67]

Honestly, I'm not sure. I have pictures of my son dressed up as a princess playing here at home with his older sister. He loved the dressup box, and I never steered him toward one costume over another. Whatever he wanted to wear, he wore. He decided to wear his sister's witch costume to school in kindergarten, and I let him do that too. I'm just not really sure I'd want to take him somewhere as large as Disneyland/Disney World and take the risk of strangers mocking him or laughing at him, and hurting his feelings. But I think if his heart was really set on it and he was going to be crushed if I said no, I might go ahead and let him, and just be prepared to run interference, as others have said. That's probably a moot point, though, since I'm fairly certain that the very notion of letting his son wear a dress in public would probably give my husband a heart attack (he was in Iraq when our son wore the witch costume to school ).

 

[Goofyluver]

Well, I was helping out my friend who owns a private school/summer camp. I was on a field trip with the kids. It was a long day. We were getting bored, so the girls decided to do make overs. They offered to make me pretty. I didn't want to be rude and say no.

As to the lingerie... this same friend had gone on vacation. Her Victoria's Secret order arrived at the school while she was gone. She was hoping that the order would have arrived before she had left. I felt bad for her, so to make her feel better I changed into the different lingerie items, modeled them for her and sent the pictures to her iphone. That's just the kind of friend I am.

 

[ols386]

Yes, if that's the costume he wanted to wear.

 

[minkydog]

If he wanted to I would, yes.

When my oldest was 3-4 he wanted to be the pink power ranger for Halloween - and so he was.

No big deal - the clothes will not define them.

DS25 when trick-or-treating as a Nigerian when he was about 8. His BFF is from Nigeria, so DS borrowed his traditional outfit. You can just imagine the looks on our neighbors' faces when my very pale white boy showed up in his African garb and orange plastic pumpkin.

 

[Magpie]

DS25 when trick-or-treating as a Nigerian when he was about 8. His BFF is from Nigeria, so DS borrowed his traditional outfit. You can just imagine the looks on our neighbors' faces when my very pale white boy showed up in his African garb and orange plastic pumpkin.

My very pale white roommate in college grew up in Africa, and didn't move back to North America until he was an adult. He used to wear a "Jellabiya", which is basically an ankle length embroidered robe. It looked just like a house dress!

With his long hair and scraggly beard, everyone used to tell him he looked like Jesus.

 

[CathrynRose]

Yes, but he's a grown man and a successful actor whose self-esteem is probably through the roof. He's well equipped psychologically to make a decision to dress that way. A little boy isn't.

And how in the heck do you think the grown man's self esteem gets shot the roof???

By being himself, and having his family root and cheer him on, along the way.

When my oldest was 3-4 he wanted to be the pink power ranger for Halloween - and so he was.

.

 

[CathrynRose]

I'll probably get flamed for this - but so be it......

I see so many sloppy, style-less, no makeup, no hair "done", yucky, masculine clothed WOMEN, walking around Disney World, and the thought that any of THEM would have any "say" in a little boy dressing however in the heck he wants? They're certainly not dressed feminine enough.....

It's amusing.

 

[sunnyday123]

No one has a problem with a little girl dressing up as Spiderman or Harry Potter, and I hate double standards, so sure, I'd let my son dress as a princess if he wanted to. If it's the first time he did so in public, I'd probably warn him (in an age approprate way) of the judgemental looks and possibly even comments he might get, but remind him that if he gets any, it says more about the other people than it does about him and his choices.

I too HATE double standards. If I had a son, and he wanted to dress like a princess and adults had the nerve to make rude comments about a 3 year old, I'd have to ask what their problem was.

 

[Uncle Remus]

I too HATE double standards. If I had a son, and he wanted to dress like a princess and adults had the nerve to make rude comments about a 3 year old, I'd have to ask what their problem was.

 

[Feralpeg]

I've seen little boys dressed as princesses many times around WDW. I didn't hear anything negative being said. Of course, I barely gave it a thought, when I saw them.

About the only time I ever hear anything about how someone is dressed at WDW is when the outfit is way too skimpy or has an inappropriate saying.