Madonna said it best in her song ‘What It Feels Like For A Girl’:
“Girls can wear jeans and cut their hair short. Wear shirts and boots ’cause it’s okay to be a boy. But for a boy to look like a girl is degrading.”
People look down on boys wearing dresses. Scott Stuart has challenged that outdated view. Since the age of three, Stuart’s son, Colin has loved the Disney movie, Frozen, and one of its main characters, Elsa. Colin loved Elsa so much that had an Elsa doll that he took with everywhere. In an interview with Buzzfeed, the elder Stuart talked about a reaction someone had for Colin having a doll:
“One day he came home from preschool completely distraught because someone said that Elsa was for girls. That day I resolved that I would always support the things that he loves, even if they challenged my (or society’s) expectations of him.”
When Frozen 2 came out in theaters, Colin wanted to go see the film dressed as Elsa but was afraid of being teased, so Stuart decided he would don an Elsa dress and wig as well to support his son. Stuart shared this experience in a Tik Tok video that has received to date over 21 million views.
@scott.creates #parenting #parents #dadlife #fatherhood #kids #frozen2 #frozen2 #elsa
Scott, who is a children’s author, wrote and illustrated a book about his son’s journey called My Shadow is Pink which goes on sale August 1st in Australia and New Zealand and September 1st for the rest of the world.
Scott started a Kickstarter campaign to make an animated film based on My Shadow is Pink on July 15th and he revealed on July 28th that the campaign has over 50% of the funding with 14 days left.
@scott.creates This film is going to be incredible 😀😍 #myshadowispink #acceptance #elsa #storytime #son #boysinskirts #movie #film
♬ The One That Got Away by Katy Perry – tumbling.sunflowers71
Scott explained on the Kickstarter page why the film was necessary:
“I truly believe this film can give young kids permission to be true to themselves, even when it’s uncomfortable. To allow young kids who break gender stereotypes to see themselves represented on screen, and let them know that they are perfect, just as they are.”
On his Tik Tok, Scott talks about the dangers of toxic masculinity and gender stereotypes while promoting acceptance and love.
@scott.creates Breaking down stereotypes #acceptance #dad #anna #elsa #frozen #frozen2 #boyinadress #gender #genderstereotypes #stereotypes
@scott.creates Is masculinity actually toxic? #masculinity #toxicmasculinity #gender #genderstudies #parenting #feminism
@scott.creates #pov What if your son was #gay #comingout #parents #parenting #momsoftiktok #dadsoftiktok #lgbtq
Scott has also called out those who have sent him death threats over letting Colin, who is six now, dress as Elsa.
@scott.creates
Sources: Buzzfeed, Kickstarter, Scott Stuart Tik Tok Page