How Kmart could create an ‘inclusive kids section’ so parents can buy clothes for their children without gender boundaries
- Online campaign calls on Kmart to abolish separate sections for boys and girls
- Petition encourages the retailer to classify clothing by ‘type’ rather than gender
- Campaign states separating clothes by gender sends the wrong message to kids
- Kmart says stores celebrate inclusion, have no intention to ‘stereotype’ gender
An online petition is demanding that Kmart get rid of separate sections for boys and girls clothes in stores across the country.
The campaign encourages an ‘inclusive section’ be created in Kmart stores, where the clothes are divided by ‘type’ rather gender separated sections.
The petition – started by campaign creator Sarah Rogers – has gained traction on social media and has been signed by nearly 600 people.
An online campaign has asked Kmart stores to stop classifying clothes by gender and get rid of separate sections for boy and girl clothing
The campaign asks that children be allowed to choose what they want to wear without ‘arbitrary boundaries’.
Instead of classifying the clothes by gender, the campaign advises presenting clothes in store by type, ‘skirts in one area, jeans in another and t-shirts in a third’.
Ms Rogers believes a boy having to seek clothes he likes from the girls section sends a strong message to the child it is wrong.
‘Similarly, many parents of girls lament the lack of dinosaurs, trucks, and non-frilly styles in the girls’ section’, she says.
The online petition (pictured) has gained traction on social media and has been signed by nearly 600 people
‘This is a problem that has already been addressed by many smaller and independent retailers, who have done away with ‘girls’ and ‘boys’ sections entirely, in favour of an inclusive children’s one.
‘It is time for Australia’s biggest retailers to follow suit.
Ms Rogers then encourages Kmart to stop classifying clothes by gender and get rid of boy and girl clothing sections in stores.
A Kmart spokesperson told 7 News that is was not ‘our intention to stereotype people based on gender’ and added that the ‘store layout reflects a majority of the way our Kmart customers shop’.
A Kmart spokesperson said the stores celebrate inclusivity and diversity and it was never their intention to stereotype children based on gender
One person said they signed the campaign to see if the combining of boy and girl sections would give more variations in colour and style.
‘I am not raising a gender neutral child, but would like to see more variations of colours. Pink and frilly, and blue with tractors are just not very interesting any more’.
Another woman shared an experience of her daughter not wanting to take an item from the boys section, even though the clothing was the same as in the girls.
‘I love this idea. My daughter has a blue school uniform and when Kmart ran out of shirts and leggings in her size we went to the boys section.
Kmart stores have recently introduced a range of inclusive toys and products (pictured)
‘She didn’t want the same item of clothing from the boys section because it was for boys. I did explain that it was just labelling and they were the same items and she was happy to leave with boys clothes, but this could have been avoided.
However another user wasn’t so sure of the campaign’s directives.
‘Our kids are not being sent any sort of negative message. Nothing stops any person from wearing any clothing they like. No matter where it is located in the store’.
A Kmart spokesperson told 7 News that the retailer celebrates inclusion and diversity.
‘At Kmart, we are proud to offer customers a wide range of children’s clothing in lots of different styles and it’s certainly not our intention to stereotype children based on gender,’ the spokesperson said.
‘The store layout reflects a majority of the way our Kmart customers shop and the difference between our boys and girls apparel range (in terms of fit) is marginal, so all customers have the opportunity to shop both areas for children.
‘Additionally, we celebrate inclusion and diversity within our marketing campaigns, product packaging and online.’