Life & Style Off the Mark in Targeting Gender Identity of Angelina Jolie's Child
The latest issue of Life & Style, a popular celebrity gossip magazine with several hundred thousand readers, features a cover story which claims that actress Angelina Jolie is turning Shiloh, her daughter with Brad Pitt, into a boy. The cover features Shiloh with
a short haircut and polo shirt and asks: "Is it harming the three-year-old?"
"Life & Style is way off the mark with this outrageous coverage," said Rashad Robinson, GLAAD's Senior Director of Media Programs. "Perpetuating gender stereotypes and targeting children for ridicule about the way they dress is unacceptable, regardless of their parent's celebrity status."
The accompanying article cites several so-called 'experts,' including Glenn Stanton, from the anti-LGBT organization Focus on the Family, who says: "They need help, they need guidance of what that looks like. It's important to teach our children that gender distinction is very healthy."
"Media has a responsibility to differentiate between credible authorities and politically motivated (and usually self-proclaimed) 'experts' like Focus on the Family's Glenn Stanton, who is not an expert on developmental issues," said Robinson.
Other supposed 'experts' include VH1 stylist Alana Kelen, and celebrity stylist Gili Rashal-Niv, who made offensive comments such as: "Hopefully we won't be seeing Maddox in one of Shiloh's dresses any time soon."
Justin Tanis, Outreach Manager for the National Center for Transgender Equality told The Advocate:
"The length of Shiloh's hair or the clothes she wears are really matters for her and her parents to decide; this is a family that is known for their fashion. What's important here is that every child, including Shiloh, has the opportunity to express herself and explore her world in a way that is safe and nurturing for her. Our society needs healthy, well-rounded children whose interests and tastes are as diverse as the children themselves and are not limited by outdated stereotypes of gender. Shiloh — and all other children — deserve the right to be themselves in ways that feel right to them as they learn and grow."
GLAAD will be contacting Life & Style to voice our serious concerns about this story and educate the editors about how to fairly and accurately report on gender issues. We will urge the editors to refrain from this kind of sensationalism in future coverage and encourage community members to do the same.
Lindsay Ferraro
Publicity Manager - Life & Style Weekly
LFerraro@bauer-usa.com
(201) 569-6699
Dan Wakeford
Editor-in-Chief - Life & Style Weekly
dwakeford@bauer-usa.com
Comments
If Angelina's dressing her child like this, I honestly have a feeling it's because she was ASKED to do it, by Shiloh--or rather, John--himself. (I say "himself" because I highly doubt that any cisgender girl, no matter how masculine her gender expression is, would want a name like John.) She's not HARMING the three-year-old. Trying to stuff him into dresses and forcing him to grow his hair out would be harming him. But letting him dress the way he wants, and using the name he prefers? She's being an EXCELLENT parent. It's quite a shame that tabloids seem to have such a hard time recognizing trans-friendly parenting when they see it. "Off the mark" is quite an understatement.
When I first saw this "article" I had to laugh. When my now 24 year old daughter was about that same age she prefered the colors of clothing they had in the boys department as opposed to the "baby pink" and lavendars found in the little girls section. She loved the bright reds, blues greens and liked wearing tee shirts and sweat shirts as opposed to frilly dreses and blouses. She also liked to be called "Bob" so I indulged her color preference as well as referred to her as "Bob". She now is an adult, goes by her given name, still enjoys brightly colored fabrics as opposed to pastels. Just like all children Shiloh is an individual and is learning to express her individuality...leave it to the rest of the prudish world to want to stifle a chidl's creativity and celebrate mediocrity.