I routinely read tabloids while waiting in line at the grocery store and read that article (I assume it's the same one) on Friday and oh my GOD it infuriated me.
On one hand, I tried to consider the source; really, it's a supermarket tabloid, so what did I expect? And I tried to focus on the fact that they had to go to Focus on the Family to find a "therapist" (those scare quotes there would be deliberate) to provide the viewpoint that Angelina and Brad should force their three-year-old into dresses and sparkly shoes to make her gender-conform.
But oh my GOD, it grossed me out. Especially since the headline tried to imply that Brad and Angelina were forcing masculinity on their daughter, rather than respecting their kid's natural inclinations. (Part of why I picked it up in the first place was the wait, REALLY? double take there, because while movie stars are a mixed parenting bag, my general vague impression of Brangelina is that they want to let their kids be whoever they are.)
The way tabloids cover celebrity kids is kind of gross generally. (I saw an article a few weeks ago bitching about the fact that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes's daughter has this favorite pair of cowgirl boots that she wears absolutely everywhere and how there's something wrong with the fact that Katie doesn't make her switch them out occasionally. Because GOD KNOWS no celebrity child should be permitted any hint of normal behavior, like picking some favored clothing item they wear everywhere for weeks on end!) But this one really went above and beyond for repugnant and offensive.
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Date: 2010-03-08 08:57 pm (UTC)On one hand, I tried to consider the source; really, it's a supermarket tabloid, so what did I expect? And I tried to focus on the fact that they had to go to Focus on the Family to find a "therapist" (those scare quotes there would be deliberate) to provide the viewpoint that Angelina and Brad should force their three-year-old into dresses and sparkly shoes to make her gender-conform.
But oh my GOD, it grossed me out. Especially since the headline tried to imply that Brad and Angelina were forcing masculinity on their daughter, rather than respecting their kid's natural inclinations. (Part of why I picked it up in the first place was the wait, REALLY? double take there, because while movie stars are a mixed parenting bag, my general vague impression of Brangelina is that they want to let their kids be whoever they are.)
The way tabloids cover celebrity kids is kind of gross generally. (I saw an article a few weeks ago bitching about the fact that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes's daughter has this favorite pair of cowgirl boots that she wears absolutely everywhere and how there's something wrong with the fact that Katie doesn't make her switch them out occasionally. Because GOD KNOWS no celebrity child should be permitted any hint of normal behavior, like picking some favored clothing item they wear everywhere for weeks on end!) But this one really went above and beyond for repugnant and offensive.