J. Crew Ad Sparks Gender Identity Debate

So Fox news and now the media in general is all up in arms about J. Crew’s latest online catalog. On her Saturday with Jenna blog, creative director Jenna Lyons writes that she spends quality time with her son Beckett by painting his toenails pink. “Lucky for me, I ended up with a boy whose favorite color is pink. Toenail painting is way more fun in neon,” she writes. Included are pictures of Lyons and her son with pink Essie-polished nails.

Fox News’ Dr. Keith Ablow writes, “Yeah, well, it may be fun and games now, Jenna, but at least put some money aside for psychotherapy for the kid and maybe a little for others who’ll be affected by your ‘innocent’ pleasure. This is a dramatic example of the way that our culture is being encouraged to abandon all trappings of gender identity — homogenizing males and females when the outcome of such ‘psychological sterilization’ is not known.”

Really Dr. Ablow? A gender identity debate over a little nail polish? What’s the big deal? Kids like to play dress up. I really don’t see what the big deal is.

Apparently the majority of Fox News Twitter users didn’t find the post offensive. What do you guys think? Do you have sons? (I don’t, but if I did, I certainly wouldn’t mind him playing with nail polish.) Do you let them wear nail polish?  

— Hannah