Angelina Jolie’s Kid Shiloh Jolie-Pitt In Suit, Justin Trudeau’s Son In Dress Take Gender Neutral Spotlight

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have discussed their six children throughout their lives. But it’s their daughter Shiloh Jolie-Pitt who repeatedly has stolen the spotlight with her short hairstyles and tendency to wear suits that match her brothers Pax, Maddox, and Knox rather than frocks like her sisters Vivienne and Zahara.

The year 2017 has become the year when the term “gender neutral” is increasingly used. As the Inquisitr reported, it’s not just Angelina’s and Brad’s decision to allow Shiloh to dress like her brothers that has taken the gender neutral celebrity spotlight. Another celebrity parent, Megan Fox, endured mommy-shaming for giving her son the freedom to wear a dress.

More Celebrities Endorse Gender-Neutral Parenting Movement

Announcing that a child is a girl or a boy forms a key part of baby announcement tradition. But Forbes pointed out that the gender-neutral parenting trend is making a difference, with the support of celebrity moms such as Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox enhancing the spotlight. Jolie and Fox aren’t alone.

“The increasingly popular movement of gender-neutral parenting… has celebrity endorsers, including Paloma Faith and Russell Brand.”

There are different levels of gender-neutral parenting, with some parents declining to label their children and others focusing on avoiding gender stereotypes such as giving girls pink dresses and dolls or providing boys with toy trucks and blue suits.

For those who want to follow the lead of Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and Megan Fox, Christia Spears Brown told Forbes about the keys to avoiding gender stereotypes for children. A professor at the Center for Equality and Social Justice at the University of Kentucky, Brown suggests skipping gender labels.

Rather than praising a child as a “smart girl,” for example, the professor advises describing a youngster as a “smart kid.”

Does Gender Neutrality Make A Difference?

A BBC documentary showed what happened in a classroom when children did not participate in gender-specific activities or use gender-specific toys or language.

“Behavior and self-esteem improved significantly among boys and girls.”

Brown believes that teaching children about gender stereotypes can help them understand that there’s no difference in abilities. Believing that boys should wear blue and play with trucks and girls should wear pink and play with dolls is the “result of a stereotyped culture,” added the expert.

“When we gender stereotype certain toys as ‘boy toys’ or ‘girl toys’, we limit the skills they develop,” warned Lisa Dinella, associate professor of psychology at Monmouth University, New Jersey.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Shows Off Son Hadrien’s Pink Dress On Twitter

Justin Trudeau seems to have gotten the message. Joining Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, and Megan Fox in giving his son the freedom to wear what he wants regardless of gender stereotypes, the Canadian Prime Minister earned cheers from Twitter for sharing a picture of his son in a pink frock, reported NewNowNext.

Have a Super Halloween! pic.twitter.com/sUlx2stilX

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) October 31, 2017

The Prime Minister revealed that his 3-year-old son opted to go as Skye, a cockapoo who flies a helicopter on the Canadian cartoon PAW Patrol. Trudeau emphasized his support for the little boy’s desire to wear a dress.

“He insisted on being Skye [for Halloween]. And that’s fine with us.”

Last year, Trudeau made history by becoming the first Canadian prime minister to march in a Canadian pride parade. The Prime Minister so impressed one follower that the Twitter user asked if Trudeau could become “our President or just adopt the United States please.”

Twitter responded with praise for the Prime Minister’s choice to show off his son’s dress. One user thanked Justin for serving as a “role model” for “family unity and acceptance.” Others described the Prime Minister’s decision to allow his son to wear what he wanted as “awesome” and “beautiful.”

This is awesome. I didn't realize but the kid in the pink outfit was Trudeau's son ??????https://t.co/uD2S8Z2vea

— Karen D (@DuxburyKaren) November 1, 2017

While Trudeau just earned attention for his son, Angelina Jolie has talked about her views on Shiloh Jolie-Pitt’s preference for boys’ clothes for many years.

Angelina Jolie And Brad Pitt Discuss Allowing Shiloh Jolie-Pitt To Explore Gender Identity

Talking with Forbes, Angeline Dharmaindra, a clinical psychologist who works at the NHS Gender Identity Development Service in London, offered a top tip on how to allow children to explore gender identity.

“My top tip would be to support diversity in relation to gender identity and gender expression,” advised the psychologist.

“Dressing up…may involve choices which don’t always conform to gender stereotypes. But it is important for children to be able to explore and experiment.”

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt both have discussed their decision to allow Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, their first biological child, born in 2006, to dress how she desires, pointed out Now To Love.

When Shiloh was 4-years-old, Angelina described her daughter’s choices as “fascinating.” Offering her views on parents who pressure their children to conform to stereotypes, Jolie called that “bad parenting.”

Shiloh Jolie-Pitt And Brothers Steal Matching Style Spotlight

Shiloh has plenty of options when choosing her fashion role model. She has two older brothers, 16-year-old Maddox and 13-year-old Pax, as well as her big sister, 12-year-old Zahara. After Shiloh was born, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt welcomed twins Knox and Vivienne, now 9-years-old. But Shiloh has chosen to dress like her brothers, revealed Angelina to Vanity Fair in 2010.

“She wants to be a boy. She thinks she’s one of the brothers.”

Rather than argue with their daughter, Jolie and Pitt cut the little girl’s hair and followed through with Shiloh’s preference of wearing “boys’ everything.” Brad also has talked about his daughter’s name preference when she was just 2-years-old, telling Oprah Winfrey that the little girl wanted to be called John.

The Independent pointed out that as a result of Angelina’s and Brad’s comments, Jolie and Pitt have earned praise for their “apparent decision to support what is being perceived as their child’s exploration of their gender identity.”

When Shiloh wore a tuxedo and tie to the Unbroken premiere, her brothers wore similar outfits. The publication reported that the matching suits were viewed by some as a signal that Pax and Maddox were “exploring their gender identity” with the support of Jolie and Pitt.

[Featured Image by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images]