Justice

What Happened When Charlize Theron Let Her Son Dress Like Elsa

August 26th 2016

It's no secret that people frequently give unsolicited advice to parents, and Academy Award-winning actress Charlize Theron is no exception to such unwanted feedback. She recently gained some negative attention on Twitter after photos surfaced online of her adoptive son Jackson dressed up as Elsa from the movie "Frozen."

Some have argued that Theron disrespected her son, a black child she adopted from South Africa, by allowing him to walk around in a dress.

Regardless of the criticism lodged against Theron, it's possible that her son was merely dressing the way he wanted, as many other children have done in recent years.

Last summer, ATTN: wrote about a gender nonconforming camp in an undisclosed location that allows children to dress however their heart desires in a safe space:

“Children are affected by anti-gay prejudice and adults have a responsibility to address it," photographer Lindsay Morris, who has been taking photos of these campers for years, told The Huffington Post in 2015. "They have this innate ability and eagerness to have honest conversations, and when these discussions are presented in a non-judgmental fashion, the children benefit.”

Theron is not the only celebrity mother to let her child dress in a way that challenges societal norms surrounding gender.

Earlier this year, singer Adele made headlines after her son Angelo was spotted at Disneyland dressed like Anna from "Frozen."

In December, Adele told Time that she will accept her son regardless of the way his identity plays out as he gets older:

"I can’t wait to know who his best friends are going to be, who his girlfriend or his boyfriend is going to be or what movies he likes… Whatever my kid wants to do or be I will always support him no matter what.”

Though Theron hasn't responded to the criticisms, we're betting she shares a similar perspective as Adele.

Share your opinion

Should children be allowed to dress however they want?

No 9%Yes 91%