Thursday, April 14, 2011

EXTRA CREDIT: Do Pink Fingernails Make You Gay/Transgender?

This ad appeared in the most recent J Crew catalog
This advertisement shows a mother painting her son's toenails pink. It stirred up a lot of controversy in the media. Read this article about it:
What do you think about this advertisement? Do you think it could do damage to a growing child's sense of gender roles? Are people making a big deal out of nothing? What does the controversy surrounding this advertisement say about us as a culture? For extra credit in the form of a half a letter grade boost to your paper on SU, write THREE WELL-FORMED paragraphs discussing this issue. DUE MONDAY by NOON.

12 comments:

  1. Odschanae LaMark
    J. Crew Ad With Boy's Pink Toenails Creates Controversy

    I watched the video and logic of the outcome of painting a little boys toenails pink. Mothers do allow they're child to cross dress and find there favorite things to do. I don't see why any of this should have been a problem. Children are innocent and harmless,they aren't developed enough to know a sexual oreintation.

    The world has created a sterotype that boys can't polish their toes or like pink. A color is an expression and if you are a boy and it's a favor why should it be critisized.Some mothers allow there children to express themselves and i think that's a positive thing for them psychologically. Children are submissive at a younger age but as they get older they start to become rebellious. So choosen what they play with is a way of control and as they get older they will realize that.

    So all this controversy about this little boy getting his toenails colored by his mon is absured.These sterotypes and assumptions about sexuality needs to stop. Let children be themselves and if they grow up to be gay then that's they're preference. That doctor was wron for that absurd comment he made. Nobody can control a peerson thought weather you teach them to masculint or feminine, at the end of the day they are still going to choose for themselves in the end. This world has become ignorant to sterotypes.

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  2. Idakwoji, Mary.

    Matters Arising From a Mother Painting her Son's Toenails Hot Pink.

    An advertisement shows a mother painting her son's toenails hot pink.I discovered that, the person doing this advertisment is an expert in media relation and advertising messages. She might be doing this to hold the position she does. Also, she would have been hoping to drum up some free publicity for her company and to get the attention of her target audience. I think her aim have been achieved. Because, there's been a huge brouhaha over this in the media this week.

    The kid is adorable. The mother and son look like they're having during their nail painting session. I don't think it could do damage to a growing child's sense of gender roles. I tend to think that's inborn and can't be changed or influenced. Kids don't really care about gender roles. It is only when an adult puts the idea into their mind that they begin to see where the lines for gender are drawn.

    I don't think, people are making big deal out of nothing. This advertisement seems to portray an example of the way culture is being encouraged to abandon all trappings of gender identity. It is good that people are addressing the issue. Remember, prevention is better than cure. Lets this be a case for people in the society, inorder to reduce gay and lesbian families. Additionally, I think it is the role of the people to police gender, and tell them what correct behavior is for boys and girls.

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  3. I find that this advertisement is adorable. This advertisement is showing a relationship that a mother and son haves with one another. It is showing how some kids have fun with their parents without playing with toys or playing outside. I find this is a artistic way for an child to have fun with his mother. I don’t find anything wrong with this advertisement. It just portrays a great relationship that a little boy is having with his mom.
    I do not believe painting a little boy toe nails can do any damage to his sense of gender role. I do not find any harm of a little boy getting his toe nails painted by his mother. This image only portrays a image of a child having a good time with his parent. I only believe this is a child way of expressing his self through art. I believe if a parent directs their child in the right direction on what little boys can and cant do, the child gender role will not be effected while he is growing up.
    I do believe people are making a big deal out of nothing. I believe people need to realize that children are very spontaneous. Children love to be creative and try new things. It doesn’t mean that they are going to become homosexual are any other false accusations that the media might portray the kid will become. Kids are going to outgrow these phases that they encounter, so people should not worry about what their child interests are. I believe it’s just harmless fun the child is experiencing. People should leave the matter alone because it’s not their child toe nails that are being painted so they shouldn’t have anything to say about it.


    Destini Babineaux

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  4. I find that this advertisement is adorable. This advertisement is showing a relationship that a mother and son haves with one another. It is showing how some kids have fun with their parents without playing with toys or playing outside. I find this is a artistic way for an child to have fun with his mother. I don’t find anything wrong with this advertisement. It just portrays a great relationship that a little boy is having with his mom.


    I do not believe painting a little boy toe nails can do any damage to his sense of gender role. I do not find any harm of a little boy getting his toe nails painted by his mother. This image only portrays a image of a child having a good time with his parent. I only believe this is a child way of expressing his self through art. I believe if a parent directs their child in the right direction on what little boys can and cant do, the child gender role will not be effected while he is growing up.


    I do believe people are making a big deal out of nothing. I believe people need to realize that children are very spontaneous. Children love to be creative and try new things. It doesn’t mean that they are going to become homosexual are any other false accusations that the media might portray the kid will become. Kids are going to outgrow these phases that they encounter, so people should not worry about what their child interests are. I believe it’s just harmless fun the child is experiencing. People should leave the matter alone because it’s not their child toe nails that are being painted so they shouldn’t have anything to say about it.

    Destini Babineaux

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  5. I do not find the advertisement offensive. I do however know that society will jump at every controversal event and make a big deal out of it. The boy with his mother in that dvertisement nails were painted pink. At that age, the boy does not know gender identity or any technical association of feelings he may have as a male. There was no harm in allowing his favorite color being pink to be painted on his toenails. I am sure it was only for fun.

    Many girls today still play dress up with their younger brothers. It does not mean that the are gay. It is there way of having fun. Sociey like the toy advertisements want boys to be this specific way and girls a specific way. They want them to like a certain color, hairstyle, career and family role. I am sure that as Breckett get older, he and others kids will know who they are and express themselves as indivuals.

    Sadly society stereotype situations where gender specific roles are introduced. in movies where the father wants the son to be just like im or follow in his footsteps. It portrays the father as defining the role he wants that son to have. The son does not get to choose what hes wants or in the same situation of the mother. THere are situations where that is okay but the movies and society like dictating the roles.

    The kid I feel will not be harmed by this. Much of the criticims is blown out of proportion. That fox news writer I feel needs to apologize for his selective words. Society should calm down and look at some positives of the ad.

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  6. Te’Yonte’ Tillman
    Publication has a huge impact on people’s daily lives. I think this advertisement is full of atrocity. Stereotyping also plays a role in the video clip as well. Some people may look at this case of the mother painting her son toe nails pink as him being gay or feminine. By her being a parent she knows that you don’t paint a little boy nails pink, blue or green. It’s totally unacceptable and the painting of nails is for females.

    Families’ upbringing plays a huge role in a child’s life. As the boy progress and grow in the years to come, I feel as if he would be confused about the dos and don’ts between females and males. Polishing of the nails is for girls. If a boy gets his nail painted don’t you think he would feel as if he’s a girl? The boy might feel as if it’s normal and doesn’t see anything wrong with boys getting their nails polished because he mother did his nails when he was little.

    This advertisement labels us a culture of who lets anything and everything slide. Our culture is a banding gender identity day by day. It also gives clear evidence that parents may contribute to their child’s choice in them being homosexual. Some people may even see this video clip and newspaper ad as advocating homosexuality way of live. We are not concerned as much as we should be about the way we are raising our children as we should be.

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  7. I watched the video and it is cute only if the five year old boy was a five year old girl. Why would a mother want to paint her son toenails pink? If it is his favorite color of what it should not happen like that. Kids know their gender at nine months and they are aware of things like that.

    I’m a very stereotype person when situations happen like this. People are making a big deal out of the situation and I know why. It is too many boys growing up to gay and that is really one reason why. Kids act the way parents treat them and boys should not be raised nor treated in that way.

    Children love trying and doing new things. The society is not going to blame the child for his fault but his mother. She thinks it is a great thing to do with her son but when he starts acting and doing everything girls love she will be sorry. A father would not like this situation and will probably be very upset about it.

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  8. I watched the video and it is cute only if the five year old boy was a five year old girl. Why would a mother want to paint her son toenails pink? If it is his favorite color of what it should not happen like that. Kids know their gender at nine months and they are aware of things like that.
    I’m a very stereotype person when situations happen like this. People are making a big deal out of the situation and I know why. It is too many boys growing up to gay and that is really one reason why. Kids act the way parents treat them and boys should not be raised nor treated in that way.
    Children love trying and doing new things. The society is not going to blame the child for his fault but his mother. She thinks it is a great thing to do with her son but when he starts acting and doing everything girls love she will be sorry. A father would not like this situation and will probably be very upset about it. I'm not with the whole color thing pink is for girls and blue is for boys but painting their toenails is going to far with him.

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  9. Quintel Sibley

    No, pink fingernails or toenails does not make you gay or a transgender. What a person experience through life is what decides that. Sometimes that doesn't even have a role in it. Colors don't play a huge role in our children's eyes. Some boys like pink and some girls like red.

    Our society really looks down on 'different' people. It's really depressing seeing as how everyone is unique. If the majority of people follow one thing then it says the same for them as a whole. Our nation is notorious for this kind of thing.

    Things are never equal in our society. It's always someone or something being discriminated upon. Whether it's a group of people or another country, it's really pathetic. People make their own decisions in life. It's really no one's place, beside themselves, to judge anyone else.

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  10. This advertisement is absolutely absurd. I believe this can damage a child’s growth leading it from them to believe that it is okay for them to wear women’s clothing, wearing fingernail polish, and later in life acting like women. Although this may seem creative, it is absolutely ridiculous for a young boy to have his fingernails painted. Not only were they painted, they were painted hot pink.
    People aren’t making a big deal out of nothing. People suggest that they shouldn’t do such things with their young boy. They should be playing outside whether than getting their fingernails painted. Doing such things allow for young boys to think that such character is acceptable.
    This advertisement says that our culture is changing from the way we were raised as kids to how parents are developing theirs. More people in today’s society believe that is it okay for young boys to do such things but, in actuality it isn’t. There is other ways to advertise their products other than painting boys toe-nails. Other kids will think that this activity is okay because it is in a magazine. This kind of advertisement should not be advertised.

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  11. This advertisement is absolutely absurd. I believe this can damage a child’s growth leading it from them to believe that it is okay for them to wear women’s clothing, wearing fingernail polish, and later in life acting like women. Although this may seem creative, it is absolutely ridiculous for a young boy to have his fingernails painted. Not only were they painted, they were painted hot pink.

    People aren’t making a big deal out of nothing. People suggest that they shouldn’t do such things with their young boy. They should be playing outside whether than getting their fingernails painted. Doing such things allow for young boys to think that such character is acceptable.


    This advertisement says that our culture is changing from the way we were raised as kids to how parents are developing theirs. More people in today’s society believe that is it okay for young boys to do such things but, in actuality it isn’t. There is other ways to advertise their products other than painting boys toe-nails. Other kids will think that this activity is okay because it is in a magazine. This kind of advertisement should not be advertised.

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  12. "Why would I want my son to paint his toenails in pink? Why would I want him to paint his toenails at all?" That is the belief of someone who thinks that painting a boy toenails is wrong and i totally agree with. There are two possibilities: the first one is that the boy might be gay or trans-gender or the second one if the kid spend is time with boys he might be manly after all.

    To paint a paint toenails is giving him some issues. They say that color are neutral but they affect us one way or another; like when we wear red we feel like on fire that nothing can stop us. You are hyper and you have a great day. When you wear sky blue or pink or a light color you feel calm and peaceful. So painting the toenails of a boy is already wrong but painting it hot pink is above the limit because of the way how they teach us how to live. They always attribute pink to girls. when you go to a girl shop everything is pink but for the boy you will see all the darker colors(black, gray, green,etc.)so hot pink is already not appropriate for a boy even though pink is his color give him a pink shirt or a pink lollipop.

    Kids love to explore, they like wearing clothes, they like to play with everything that seems interesting for them. Sometime you can't blame a child that is having fun. Kids like to observe their environment, at young age they are like cameras they pictured every single thing and they try to reproduce it. The kid might had saw his mother polishing her nail so he tried to put some and the mother seeing him doing that finished the work for him. But painting the toenails of a five year old is wrong. People say that the world is changing from the way we where raised and painting a kid toenails is encouraging him to tend toward gay or trans-gender.

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