Not too long ago, a controversy was brought up regarding a recent J.Crew catalogue. Of course there were models within the catalogue, as there are with most, however there was one picture that seemed to spark quite the debate.
Jenna Llyons is in the picture with her son, and the label reads, “Lucky for me I ended up with a boy whose favorite color is pink,” reads the caption. “Toenail painting is so much more fun in neon.”
What do you think happened? You guessed it. “Traditional” psychologists and bloggers took it as a an early sign of teaching the little boy that pink is good, and eventually to lead to the idea that liking men is just the same. Another name for this is the Slippery Slope logical fallacy, in which people take a simple thing and exploit it to the idea that eventually that one little thing will be to blame for a major, unrelated effect. In this situation, a boy who is allowed to paint his nails pink is going to become gay because of this.
If you ask me, teaching this little boy that painting his nails is okay teaches him individuality. It teaches him that it is okay to be different, and that he should embrace his interests and be proud of them. Not everything has to be taken so seriously. I actually respect Jenna Llyons for her boldness with the topic and for sticking by her actions when ridiculous assumptions and conclusions were drawn.
My male cousin that I grew up with actually favored the color pink throughout his childhood. And yet to this day, he is one of the most “macho” guys that I know, and is deeply in love with his girlfriend. He is also one of the strongest people that I know, and doesn’t let anyone tell him he isn’t good enough. I respect him for it.
What I am trying to get across, is the point that while the reaction to this catalogue isn’t surprising, it is absolutely ridiculous, and if anything, this mother should be praised for her early teachings to her son that individuality is a right and nothing to be ashamed of.
Site in reference: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/alltherage/2011/04/j-crew-and-jenna-lyons-pink-toenail-controversy.html?cid=6a00d8341c630a53ef01538dd893a7970b
Jenna Llyons is in the picture with her son, and the label reads, “Lucky for me I ended up with a boy whose favorite color is pink,” reads the caption. “Toenail painting is so much more fun in neon.”
What do you think happened? You guessed it. “Traditional” psychologists and bloggers took it as a an early sign of teaching the little boy that pink is good, and eventually to lead to the idea that liking men is just the same. Another name for this is the Slippery Slope logical fallacy, in which people take a simple thing and exploit it to the idea that eventually that one little thing will be to blame for a major, unrelated effect. In this situation, a boy who is allowed to paint his nails pink is going to become gay because of this.
If you ask me, teaching this little boy that painting his nails is okay teaches him individuality. It teaches him that it is okay to be different, and that he should embrace his interests and be proud of them. Not everything has to be taken so seriously. I actually respect Jenna Llyons for her boldness with the topic and for sticking by her actions when ridiculous assumptions and conclusions were drawn.
My male cousin that I grew up with actually favored the color pink throughout his childhood. And yet to this day, he is one of the most “macho” guys that I know, and is deeply in love with his girlfriend. He is also one of the strongest people that I know, and doesn’t let anyone tell him he isn’t good enough. I respect him for it.
What I am trying to get across, is the point that while the reaction to this catalogue isn’t surprising, it is absolutely ridiculous, and if anything, this mother should be praised for her early teachings to her son that individuality is a right and nothing to be ashamed of.
Site in reference: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/alltherage/2011/04/j-crew-and-jenna-lyons-pink-toenail-controversy.html?cid=6a00d8341c630a53ef01538dd893a7970b
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