U.K. retailer removes gender-specific labels

Shoppers at John Lewis given ‘boys and girls’ option on kids’ clothes.

In the gender wars recently, British retailers have had trouble striking the right balance in the children’s aisle, either perpetuating stereotypes or going too far in the opposite direction.

The supermarket Asda came under criticism for selling T-shirts for boys featuring slogans like “Future Scientist,” while their T-shirts for girls proclaimed “Hey Cutie!” and “Ponies Rock.”

Last year, an 8-year-old British girl, Daisy Edmonds, became an internet sensation after her mother filmed her at a Tesco supermarket, railing against T-shirts she saw as sexist. Why, she asked, did the boys’ T-shirts say things like “Desert Adventure Awaits,” “Think Outside the Box” and “Hero” while the girls’ shirts were emblazoned with “Beautiful,” “Hey!” and “I Feel Fabulous”?

“Everyone thinks girls should just be pretty and boys should just be adventurous!” she said.

But now, some consumers are saying retailer John Lewis has gone to the other extreme, after news reports that the chain has removed gender-specific labels altogether from its brand of children’s clothes. Instead, it is putting “boys & girls” or “girls & boys” tags on these items, whether trousers or skirts.

John Lewis said Monday that it had scrapped “girls” and “boys” signs at its department stores last year and had introduced unisex babywear earlier this year. Caroline Bettis, its head of children’s wear, said the move was aimed at overcoming stereotypes.

“We do not want to reinforce gender stereotypes within our John Lewis collections and instead want to provide greater choice and variety to our customers,” she said.

The new policy, praised by many parents and rights advocates for promoting inclusiveness and breaking outmoded norms, has provoked spirited debate on social media and elsewhere.

Opponents of the change