Perspective | How my son, and a pleather jacket, schooled me on being a 10-year-old boy today

  • 📰 washingtonpost
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 42 sec. here
  • 2 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 20%
  • Publisher: 72%

United States Headlines News

United States Latest News,United States Headlines

Perspective: How my son, and a pleather jacket, schooled me on being a 10-year-old boy today

By Kelsey Francis April 5 at 9:00 AM I came of age during the late 1980s, in the cutthroat teenage world depicted in Michael Lehmann’s “Heathers” and John Hughes’s “The Breakfast Club.” At my suburban middle school in 1988, social acceptance was largely determined by what brand of clothing I wore. The mandate: Wear what’s cool, or face social crucifixion and exile. It was my ninth ring of hell.

I often wonder if the boys of my generation were spared by the fashion police. As a mother of a soon-to-be middle school boy, I am hoping his experiences are healthier than the ones I had. However inconsequential a brand name is to me now, I know the torment that resulted from the wrong clothes did not feel trivial to my adolescent self.

The lining and the fitted cut of the jacket make it stereotypically feminine. But my son was oblivious. He was excited by what he perceived as the instant coolness of the pleather. He proudly proclaimed he would be wearing this “leather” jacket every single day of middle school. Awesome. Let the modern medieval fashion torture begin.I was happy for him. But inside, I also felt this tugging need to tell him it was in fact a girl’s jacket. I consider myself a liberal. A feminist.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.

There are, way too many commas, in that sentence.

Well, no, actually, gender is not fluid or optional.

“Vegan leather” 😉😂

I never cared what people thought in 1986 [and still don't]. I had 'weird' hair and people called me 'New Wave.'

I still have nightmares of being teased for wearing my Winner IIs from sears. Kids circa 1988 middle school were horrible, plus I had photo greys, and was skinny. You do the math.

The application of the university campus and the design of the theory, the formation of the quality of the individual split and break the process of preparation to follow the audit and work in the practical systems to extract the capabilities of return and the wall

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 95. in US

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Dad of 10-year-old girl who died after school fight says he's received few answers'I want to find out what happened, how it happened, and who was involved.' Father of South Carolina 5th-grader who died after school fight seeks answers. Prayers for the child and the Family, as they seek closure! ColletonCounty provide the much needed info to the parents of this child! This is why my family let Colleton Co. Years ago the Shenanigans going on back them was horrific they left and NEVER Looked it went back!
Source: NBCNews - 🏆 10. / 86 Read more »

High school robotics team builds power wheelchair for 2-year-old boyCillian Jackson was born with a genetic condition that makes getting around difficult. When his father reached out to the local high school’s robotics team, they jumped at the chance to help out by building a custom electric wheelchair. I hope it has an optional flag to let cars know he is there What insurer turned this family down?
Source: NBCNews - 🏆 10. / 86 Read more »

Man, 20, arrested in road rage killing of 10-year-old girl: PoliceJUST IN: 20-year-old man arrested for allegedly gunning down a 10-year-old girl in what police called an apparent road rage killing. 'She died in front of me.' Father of the 10-year-old victim says he 'watched her eyes roll in the back of her head. And I pray nobody has to experience that.' Another case of a gun making people feel like they have bigger balls. Truly sad OMG
Source: ABC - 🏆 471. / 51 Read more »

Man who allegedly killed wife, 10-year-old daughter with machete arrested in Florida, police sayPolice have arrested a South Florida man accused of brutally killing his wife and their 10-year-old daughter with a machete. Always Florida.. A reward of $ 3,000 for a man accused of slaughtering his wife and 10-year old with a machete, that's it? 3000?
Source: ABC - 🏆 471. / 51 Read more »

Death of 8-year-old migrant boy caused by complications from the flu, bacterial infection: AutopsyThe death of an 8-year-old Guatemalan boy in government custody on Christmas Eve was caused by complications from the flu and a bacterial infection, according to autopsy report released by a U.S. medical examiner. Wow wow oh my this is so sad Sad. But fault is with his parents. No child should lose life crossing the desert due to callous smugglers. Thanks to horrible policy, group with kid allowed in when jumping fence. The father took his deceased child back to Honduras for the funeral to country MSM claimed to escape violence!
Source: ABC - 🏆 471. / 51 Read more »

Here's how much grads of the top business schools in America earn 10 years laterHere's how much grads of the top business schools in America earn 10 years later. via CNBCMakeIt MakeIt USC should be on this list!
Source: CNBC - 🏆 12. / 72 Read more »

6-year-old Georgia boy dies of heart attack while taking photos with his baseball teamBrantley Chandler was born with a rare congenital heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, according to his family. Death caused by heart attack is extremely rare at this age. I never heard that 6 year old passed away as a result of heart attach. Well 2 happy meals a day will do that to you. My thoughts and prayers are with his family
Source: USATODAY - 🏆 100. / 63 Read more »

An 11-year-old boy dies in ‘freak accident’ on bicycleAn 11-year-old boy died after striking the handlebars of his bicycle and falling off, in what police are calling a 'freak accident.'
Source: latimes - 🏆 11. / 82 Read more »