Why Is The Internet Stunned 15-Year-Old Shiloh Jolie-Pitt Would Wear A Dress?
For years, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt has received a lot of press over exploring her identity. Claims that she was exploring her gender identity circulated early on, simply because she had short hair and dressed in a masculine-leaning style. But she shocked everyone at her mother’s premiere of "Eternals."
Shiloh first joined her mother on the red carpet for the U.S. premiere in Los Angeles on October 18. She wore a brown, uneven hemmed gown with cream flats, clearly echoing her mother’s brown and draped strapless gown.
Shiloh again wore a dress for the 2021 Rome Film Fest this past Sunday, choosing an elegant little black dress paired with fun yellow and black sneakers.
For the UK premiere on October 27, Shiloh wore an altered version of the dress her mother donned for the 2019 premiere of Maleficent: Mistress of Evil – a black and white floral, above the knee gown. With hair pulled back and natural makeup, she proved that she is a beautiful young lady who can rock a classic look.
Letting Children Explore Their Boundaries
This really shouldn’t be news. A 15-year-old girl dressed up to support her mother and her work. But the politicization of parenting styles has made celebrity children an easy target for activists seeking martyrs or poster children.
Parents love their children. We want to allow our little ones to be who they are and encourage them to express themselves. The problem is that identity politics have usurped innocent exploration for protocols that demand that children who test their boundaries be permanently forced to choose a role they’re not developed enough to properly understand.
Learning how the world works takes trial and error. Toddler boys like trying on other people’s shoes. Even their mother's. Little girls sometimes want to crop their hair and wear overalls.
In some rare cases, they may be experiencing gender dysphoria, the mental disorder where they truly feel that they were born in the wrong body, but in most cases, these behaviors are just simple play. Kids being kids and trying new things. Which is what childhood is all about. And, in most cases, children grow out of pretending to be a different gender.
Why the Rush?
Growing up isn’t easy. There is so much to learn and experience. That’s why it takes so long. So why is there a movement pushing for children to change their gender before they’re fully mature?
Because it’s political. It’s not about the actual people involved. It’s about appearances and being part of a group. Feeling accepted.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had a little girl. And that little girl had fun testing her boundaries. She even tried out being a boy. She may continue to experiment and that’s okay.
Now that she’s growing into womanhood she may be feeling more connected to her femininity. In a society that constantly tells women they have to act more like a man to be powerful, it’s no wonder that some children would explore some masculine inclinations. Plenty of women were tomboys and grew up to embrace femininity and motherhood.
We shouldn’t be rushing children to make adult decisions. We shouldn’t force them into limited options or encourage them to determine their sexual identity before they finish puberty.
Pushing Gender Identity Is the Opposite of Acceptance
Acceptance is a funny word. It seems odd that those who support trans children don’t support allowing boys to just wear dresses instead of prescribing puberty blockers. It seems a bit strange to press a little girl to chemically become a boy just because she likes playing basketball.
That’s not very accepting. It tells children that they have to pick sides, be this or that. It goes contrary to everything that allows a child to find their own way and develop in their own time.
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt has worn many looks. That is true freedom. Of all the reports about her gender-bending, there isn’t much on what she has to say about it. Probably because she’s young.
It’s difficult enough going through all the changes of life without everyone watching you and talking about it. People are complicated beings. There is no one-size-fits-all style for anyone.
And if we really want to be accepting, shouldn’t we give children time to make their own decisions without public pressure, coercion, or long-term damage?
Closing Thoughts
Shiloh was stunning at her mother’s premieres. She displayed genuine beauty. If she wants to wear sweatpants tomorrow or dress up as an alien for Halloween, that’s fun too. She should do it.
Children need to know that no matter what they look like they have the love and support of their family and friends. That’s all they truly need in life. As long as her parents are providing that, she will be who she is truly meant to be.
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