Why Are The Tabloids Trying To Make Shiloh Gay Or Feel Bad About Who She Is?
I give the tabloids a hard time about all the Jennifer Aniston stories and her multiple impending pregnancies and new boyfriends and some of the other tricks they pull to get readers to buy a copy of their magazine at a store. It is no different than websites bowing to the altar of the Twi-hard. What I don't understand is why the tabloids are trying their best to make a 4 year old girl feel like crap for wanting to be like her dad and for being who she is.
At least once a week some tabloid will talk about how Shiloh looks like a boy or dresses like a boy or watched a boy walk down the street. So what? Are they trying to make her gay? Are they saying something is wrong with her because she is a girl and wants to dress like a boy or her dad? Why is that wrong? She has two older brothers and maybe she is trying to fit in with them. Maybe she is a free spirit and does whatever she wants to do.
Now, you might be saying to yourself, "She is 4, what does she care?" Umm, she will not always be 4 and she will Google herself. How do you think she is going to feel when she reads all the articles hinting there is something wrong with her for wearing boy clothes or acting like a boy? I can't imagine the tabloids have increased sales when they trash Shiloh so I don't see the point except being mean spirited and that sucks. I love who she is. I love that she does what she wants and dresses how she wants and that her parents and/or nannies let her be herself.
So, when US Weekly runs this headline, "Exclusive: PIC: Shiloh, 4, Wears Boys' Swim Trunks" it really ticks me off. Say what you want about the parents, but a 4 year old kid should be off limits for this kind of criticism.
57 comments:
That's among the most insensitive, destructive crap I've seen from that rag, and that's really saying something. She's fine. I wore shorts without a t-shirt all the time when I was four. I'm the straightest person in my family. Little girls do not develop breasts until puberty. We don't need bikini tops. We have become so stupid about gender issues.
My younger sister always dressed like a boy once she became old enough to choose her own clothing. She's a gay woman. And she's just fine, thanks very much.
Good for you, Enty.
You've reached a whole other level of low when you pick on celebrity kids for what they wear. Who cares? I know people who wore bowties in grade 1 and they turned out just fine. Then again, they didn't have people taking their picture and posting it for the world to see, either.
Yeah, this whole thing ticks me off, too. I was a huge tomboy when I was younger, and I am not gay. People just need to shut it.
All tabloids are mean spirited and suck. All of them.
Let me know when you've found a generous, kind-hearted one.
And, why does Shiloh have red hair in that pic? It looks doctored to me!
sometimes my 4 year old daughter wears boys swimwear. she has a twin brother AND an older brother she worships. she loves her bikini, but board shorts are just as fun to her!
i wish the tabloids would leave kids alone. it is so cruel to poke at them when they really can't defend themselves. it is shameful.
it's laughable trying to determine a child's sexual orientation at that young age.
but yeah all tabs are mean-spirited. make sure that you lay off of suri cruise, btw.
Shame on US Weekly. Let Shiloh be who she wants to be. Kudos for Angelina and Brad for letting her express herself how SHE wants, not how "the world" wants her to be.
NOBODY'S BUSINESS but theirs. And US Weekly, lay off the 4 year olds. Shame, shame.
When my sister and I were her age, we had short hair also. Let's just say it doesn't effect in any way. Insinuating that a 4 year old is gay is. These rags are stupid.
She's a kid...I wore only bottoms at the beach...so what...and she has 2 brothers that she likes to copy...natural...
My mom used to buy my summer shorts and tee's at a great men's shop...because the were nicer looking and better quality..classic...I still shop in the boys dept. for polo's ...I'm not gay...at least that I know of....
I'll have to check with the tabloids..
So ridiculous.
My 6 yo likes to wear her brother's old SpongeBob swim trunks. But she also loves makeup, having her nails done, and she asked to get her ears pierced for her birthday.
Boycott this rag. I'd be on a rampage if someone was making hints like that about my kid. She doesn't even know what gay and straight is. Lay off the kids, assholes.
I, like most of you, was a tomboy as well. I got mistaken as a little boy more then once. It didn't mean I was gay. Later on I was into mini's & stiletto's. That didn't make me a hooker.
This is nonsense. Leave the kid alone.
Sue, what's your beef with bow ties? heheh.
I too wore shorts and no tee until I was 10 and got my first swim suit. What is wrong with the people who run this rag. This is a new low.
Well said, Melody the First.
This really pisses me off. Us Weekly and any other mag that discusses celebrity children should be boycotted. Total bullshit.
I, like many of you, was a tomboy when I was little. In fact, when we would go out to eat, the waitresses would always ask my sister if she wanted a Shirley Temple and then ask me if I wanted a Roy Rogers. LOL. I am fine.
The fact that they're talking about a 4-year-old's possible sexual orientation is disgusting. As if we aren't sexualizing kids too young already. She's a child. Let her be a child.
that picture sure looks shot from 10 feet away...what's up with that?
i agree this is wrong and ridiculous,but maybe Angie shouldn't court the media when it's to her liking and then expect them to treat them differently when it suits her. why does she keep bringing up Shiloh?when you are famous you can't have it both ways. sucks,but true.
i say keep your kids out of interviews and pictures like most do.
I would take it a step further and ask WHY are they running pics of these kids anyway???? Neither Angie or Brad are in the picture so why are they taking pics of the kids? They deserve privacy.
And you are totally right on. WHY does it matter how this child is dressing? I have a 7 year old daughter and I LOVE that she doesn't want to dress up like a princess ... she prefers to dress up like animals and is completely bummed that she can't grow up to be a bunny rabbit!! That's who my child is and I wouldn't change her for anything.
I'm glad Angie has defended her daughter's choice in hair cuts, clothes, etc. I think it's ridiculous that people are concerned by it.
gay gay gay, i see the next chasity bono & you fuckers with the holier than thou bs on a gossip site kill me....bunch of dumbasses
^ chill out sandman.
oh fuck off,no one is holier than thou,we just have a brain in our heads that stops us from labeling a fucking 4 year old!
All kids should be left out of the tabloids or news in general> Its just not right.
Leave the underage kids alone. Leave it!
I am not a Brangelina fan in any way, but I will give them props for letting Shiloh be who she is.
Do the flip side. You think Chastity Bono gets a kick out of googling old pics of her in frilly pink dresses?
WTH. she's just a little kid playing in a damn pool. Why is this even notable?
Go pound Sand, Man.
Yes, this is a new low!
I have a young daughter myself with blue eyes, blond hair and pouty lips. She can certainly choose to dress in "boy colours" and clothes with cars on them, if she prefers! I try to tell her that she is strong, smart and funny and not focus so much on looks since strangers always praise her cuteness. My worst nightmare is to see her become a new Paris Hilton with princess issues. Maybe Brad & Angie feels the same way about Shiloh?
AMEN!!!
Agree 100%
I think the Brange needs to stop inviting the paps over for a swim and a bbq.
When I was in elementary school I was made fun of because I looked like a boy - short hair may have been fashionable for Twiggy and Mia Farrow back then, but not for a little girl. When I got older I realized why I had short hair - it looks like shit long, and I find it uncomfortable to this day. She's comfortable with her hair, and if I had the chance to wear swim trunks like that, I would have.
Suck it, world. We need more carefree children running around.
I think it's a matter of guidance, as in, she has none.
Children want to be monkeys too, that doesn't mean you should let them live like one. And a 4-year-old does not know what he/she wants at that age. And for Angelina to say she wants to dress like that and that she let's Shiloh do whatever she wants... well, you don't think that sounds like trouble? You are letting 4-year-old make decisions.
Yep, no therapy in her future.
The funny thing is if this was some random person that lived in the midwest, there would probably be a CPS case against them.
Well said Melody the 1st (and others). This is actually infuriating. In fact, I'm not sure if the Brange could sue over this bullshit, but if they can, they should.
And they should definitely NOT be able to take and post pics of celebrity children like this. What an invasion.
US Weekly - thou art dead to me.
@Jessica - what?? Why would there be a CPS case against any parents who let their kid wear what they want?? There is NO evidence that Shiloh is a poorly-behaved child (nor are any of her siblings) - I honestly don't know WHERE you're coming from.
Wrong on the part of the tabloids, but this is why celebrities should work hard to protect their children from the media. Many celebrities with children manage to live quiet, normal lives.
@ Jessica,what planet are you living on? Where in this interview did it say that Shiloh gets to do whatever she wants? What it DID say was that she has opinions on her clothing and hair, which, if you've been around children you would know is not abnormal...I hope you're not spreading that ignorance around
I sure am glad I am not in @Jessica's sphere of social connections. Whew!
You've got issues.
I was a total tomboy even dressing in a Superman costume for Halloween when I was 9 or 10. Dressing "girly" didn't really occur to me until I was in junior high. It didn't make me in the least gay. I never even "experimented" in college. I hope that Shiloh never regrets who she is or how she dressed. These rags need to limit themselves to her parents and leave her and her siblings out of it. Fuckers.
Jax, agree with you on many counts. Well said.
Honestly, you wonder why when she is 4, does she dress like this, when she also has an older sister who dresses like a girl.
P.S.
I agree we shouldn't be judging Shiloh's choices, but Saint Angie brings the paps in herself:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/06/angelina-jolie-shiloh-cri_n_673170.html#comments
What if it was the other way around and a four year old boy wanted to grow his hair out like his sisters and wear bows and one piece bathing suits? People would say they were crazy for letting him cross dress and for letting him make those decisions on his own. Giudence is needed in every decision a child makes. Not forcing her to wear girly things but giving her options.
I think all the kids should be left alone. Suri is another one who is going to see things that are not nice said about her. They are only kids and they can't help who their parents are. It doesn't make them fair game.
Thank you everybody for saying what I wanted to say. She's a little kid! Sheesh! Leave her alone. And ps, long live beautiful children who shouldn't be shamed into wearing bikini bras. They are CHILDREN. Let them stay innocent, you perverts.
I think who ever took the picture is disgusting. These kids were playing at a hotel pool, I don't think this is a pap, I think this is another holiday guest. I'm shocked no one noticed some creep taking pictures of someone else's kids.
Because tabloid writers are scum-sucking dirtbags who not-so-secretly hate the people they're paid to write about. Celeb manques excluded from what they think of as the cool kids' table.
Couldn't agree MORE Enty. My God, let a kid be a kid...there's plenty of judging later in life.
It's Montenegro style!
I know a 10-year-old girl who's opted for swim trunks since she was old enough to verbally formulate a preference. Until she was six or so, she wore the trunks topless; since then she's worn a short-sleeve wet suit type top with the trunks. (And to the commenter who claimed this type of permissiveness on behalf of a Midwestern child's parents would prompt a CPS investigation, this is news to the Midwestern parents of the child described above.)
* * *
Dear US,
A little girl opting for swim trunks over a tank suit or two-piece may not be a typical wardrobe choice, but it's certainly not news worthy.
No pity for AJ or Jennifer A when it comes to the tabloids. They both court the paps: AJ stages photo ops with her children & Jennifer A. gets the public's sympathy despite not doing much but smoking & yoga. They both do their share of manipulating the media & I get it. It keeps them both relevant & rolling in cash.
As for swimming topless...its actually common in Europe. Small children aren't viewed as sexually and I wore boys trunks & no shirt. Its just more practical.
I have an almost 4 year old who is VERY opininated about what she wears. In her case, it's all dresses, all the time, the more frilly, the better. She wore a damn flowergirl dress to daycare the other day. Do I let her make the decisions about her clothes? Absolutely (as long as it's appropriate for the weather). It's just not worth the fight. Does this mean we have no rules for her? Absolutely not. She's got plenty of rules she has to follow and I think it's assinine to suggest that CPS would be interested in how a child dresses. Tomboys have existed for a long, long time. It's not abusive to let kids express a preference in their appearance.
This article isn't a slam against Shiloh. It is a slam against Jolie and a slam against gays. They are basically saying that Angie is somehow letting her child grow up to be gay and that is WRONG WRONG WRONG, according to them. Completely ridiculous of course, but that is the way people still think.
Veg mum, I honestly see nothing wrong with a boy dressing up like a girl either. They are kids. They play. Thats what they are supposed to do. And IF someone were to grown up and still want to play dress-up. who the h*** cares?
First of all, I'm irritated by commenters on here claiming that they themselves or other people's kids they now or were friends with used to wear clothes or accessories which - according to our society - should only be worn by kids of the opposite sex and not them still turned out just fine. What the hell does that mean? Isn't that a homophobic and hypocritical statement in itself? Oh, I, a girl, used to look like a boy and wear boys' clothes but I turned out just fine. Meaning I'm not gay, I'm straight, meaning normal.
Weird!!!
Also, I think the whole entry is totally wrongly written.
Why is Shiloh wearing boys' clothes? By stating that a certain piece of clothing is boys' clothing or girls' clothing the whole shit of having to live according to society's invented gender roles begins.
Shiloh is not wearing boys' clothes. She's simply wearing clothes any human being with a torso, two legs and arms and a head is able and allowed to wear. Period!!!
And I remember that some people on here weren't as understanding when there was a discussion as to why mothers like Sarah Jessica Parker, Kate Hudson and Celine Dion let their little sons wear long hair which would make them look like girls.
Amen, Mina.
I love US Magazine, and right now I feel like a jerk for being a subscriber.
More importantly... Why isn't she wearing sunscreen?
I'm a heterosexual who was raised by a gay man. I have three lesbian nieces, two of whom are in happy, healthy, decades-long relationships. So long as sexual relationships occur between consensual adults, I consider other people's sexual activity to be none of my business. I also subscribe to the belief that 4-year-old children are largely asexual.
That said, I do have a long memory and today located the following item, dated June 28, 2006, that I recalled after reading the above:
NOTHING PINK OR FRILLY FOR SHILOH!
According to the Sun, Angelina Jolie has reportedly offended her in-laws by not making Shiloh [then approximately one month old] wear their sent clothes. Parents of Angelina's partner, Brad Pitt, Jane and Bill, sent their first grandchild a pile of pink and frilly dresses. But Angelina doesn't like any clothes of that sort and has refused to put them on Shiloh.
A source close to the family said, "She [Angelina] knows her mind and knows how to dress her kids. She doesn't like pink, girlie, frilly clothes and doesn't want her babies to be dressed as dolls. Ang said thanks for the dresses but won't put them on her. Though I don't think she has realized how much it has upset Brad's family."
[http://celebritybabies.people.com/2006/06/28/nothing_pink_or/]
Fast-forwarding four years, it appears that Angelina was either a veritable mind-reader when it came to anticipating her one-month-old baby's clothing preferences or, and I believe this to be more likely, the clothing choices Angelina made on Shiloh's behalf have informed her daughter's sense of style, as would, I think, be the case with most mothers.
I will leave to others the question of why Angelina might choose to influence "The Most Beautiful Baby in the World" to dress "like a little dude."
My 5 year old son wanted a Disney Princess birthday cake for his 4th birthday. So, he got one. Oh, the uproar! You would have thought we were turning our son gay right then and there. Because of a cake:)
@ Carisa...
And even if you had, so what? Gay people all over the world lead happy, healthy, productive lives every day, and the world keeps turning.
I just don't get why the majority of comments here defend her right to wear whatever suits her because she'll probably end up "normal", when the real issue seems to be that even if she ends up gay or transgendered, that's completely okay too!
Gender is absolutely a social construct, the idea the people born with male parts must dress and act a certain way and people born with female parts must dress and act another way. It's ridiculous. We are all a mixture of "gender-specific" traits. Do any of you know a single person who fits perfectly into the male or female category? If gender were concrete and something we were supposed to be confined within, then why does the idea of what is man and what is woman (and how each is supposed to dress) change from culture to culture, time period to time period? We construct gender as a society, and most of us don't even realize it. Makes it hard for those of us who don't fit well in one box or the other.
I think we could all use a daily reminder that nothing is black and white, especially people, and grey is okay.
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