Nerdy Apple Bottom

Batsheva says:

Truly amazing eyes! What a stunner! And you’re right. No one would think twice. Just as in the real, adult world, no one thinks twice about women in short, mannish haircuts, wearing pants, carrying masculine briefcases, and even wearing men’s jackets and ties. A pretty woman dressed like that in makeup is actually considered sexy, while a plain woman dressed like that without makeup is considered butch, but even at that, people don’t think much of it one way or the other. Now switch it. Put a man in long hair, wearing a skirt or a dress, and carrying a woman’s handbag. How does society react to that? Thinking about those two reactions will explain the reactions vs. lack of reactions to your children’s Halloween costumes. It’s sad, because what it says is that we are still a profoundly sexist society. Men’s stuff is cool for anyone, but women’s stuff is only cool for women. For a man to dress like a woman is somehow degrading or wrong, but the reverse is not true. That means that femininity is inherently LESS THAN masculinity, hence the nasty reactions to your son’s costume last year. What kind of decent mother would allow her son to degrade himself by dressing as a MERE female? So, so sad.