What We Can Learn From John Lewis’ Scrapping Of Gendered Clothes Labels

Most of us grew up learning that blue is for boys and pink is for girls; boys play with guns and trucks while girls get dolls and skipping ropes. It was more than being limited to our attire and appearance, but a mindset that gets instilled and perpetuated from a young age. Patriarchy is hard to break once it grows its root deep into one’s perspective, but over the years as we’ve progressed and become more open-minded as a global society, it has slowly began to loosen its hold. Well, more like it’s being ripped out by groups of people fighting for gender equality the world over.

India does have a lot to learn from other nations when it comes to gender equality, and it could be something as seemingly simple as John Lewis’ latest announcement of doing away with gender labels from its children’s clothing line, becoming the first retailer to make such a move in the UK. It’s more than just providing a unisex line of clothes. The department store chain has removed the ‘girls’ and ‘boys’ labels from clothing and has completely done away with having different sections for each all together. The children’s clothing will now simply read ‘Girls & Boys’ or ‘Boys & Girls’ as per reports; while their website still holds the distinction, it is reportedly currently under review and updates.

Caroline Bettis, the head of children’s wear at John Lewis, reportedly told The Guardian that they want to “provide greater choice and variety to our customers, so that the parent or child can choose what they would like to wear.”

It’s more than just about clothing. It’s about the separation and perpetuating of gender norms and ideals that get meted out. In our country, where boys are sent off to become engineers and doctors, while girls are just about allowed to finish school, may be even college if they’re lucky, only to then be taught how to be a good wife and married off, the need to stop such a segregation is necessary, and change is needed in the way we think, starting from a young age.

Young girls and boys need to be told that they can be whoever and whatever they want, including what they want to wear. So be it a dinosaur covered dress or a pink collared shirt, there will be no gender restrictions at John Lewis, and we could all take a cue or two from them.