Girls Can Be Superheroes

photo courtesy of mikiep - very talented artist on etsy.com

Today I picked my son up from preschool and he had on the cutest superhero mask. They had made them in class, decorating them with stickers of various cartoon superheroes. When I asked if everyone made one he said, "No. The girls made some girly thing with ribbons. They can't be superheroes."

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR.

He's five, so I don't know exactly what was said in class. I'm sure that it was not specifically said that "girls cannot be superheroes". But the boys made superhero masks and the girls made something frilly. I am okay with girls wanting to be princesses. I think every girl wants to feel pretty and regal and twirl around in gowns. But why not give them the option to be either a superhero or a princess? Or both?

I'm sure I'm making too much of this. I tend to do that. But I worry about my girls. I worry because they'll grow up in a society where padded bikini tops are marketed to preteens. Where a nine year old worries about the size of her thighs. Where it's more important to be good looking than to be a good person. I don't want anyone telling them they can't be a superhero. That they shouldn't be smart or speak their mind. That they have to fit a certain mold to be beautiful.

To quote Jon Acuff:

I want to send my kids into the world so full of love that the world won't be able to empty them.