Next Steps!

Dear supporters, It's been a week since we surpassed the 100 mark! Thank you again for adding your voice, and your help spreading the word. We gain more signatures every day, and I'd like to share some ideas on what’s next. I've directly emailed Gap Inc., as well as Gymboree and Lands' End, about the growing opposition to "Plus," "Husky," and "Slim" labels for kids. I’ve urged them to adopt a more responsible sizing system (e.g., sticking to numbers or expanding the options under Regular), and I’ve also let them know about the increased awareness about this issue, thanks to Newsweek, your sharing via social media and emails, and retweets from parenting media outlets like Kids in the House and Motherwell magazine. (Change.org also sends regular updates to the brands being petitioned.) So far, the brands’ only response has been acknowledgment of my feedback and assurance that it will be shared with the appropriate parties. I’m not surprised. I understand that changing the way they categorize children’s clothing—and in turn label our kids—will cost these brands time and money. I don’t expect them to make this change easily. But I do hope for change, and I do expect a response worthy of this important issue. One way to ensure that is to create a sense of urgency. My single voice might not seem urgent, but emails from more than 100 people who share my concern certainly would. Here is the contact info for Gap Inc., Gymboree, and Lands’ End: Gap Inc. (Gap Kids & Old Navy): custserv@gap.com Gymboree: orders@gymboree.com Lands’ End: landsend@landsend.com Please consider sending them an email saying why you think they should stop using “Plus,” “Husky,” and “Slim” labels for kids. You’ve all so eloquently expressed your support, I trust you to come up with the most compelling wording. But I also know you are all very busy, so below is a sample email you can work from, if you'd like. And of course, continuing to get more signatures is very helpful—the goal is as many as it takes to effect some real change. Thank you, thank you! Kind regards, Rasika ** EMAIL TEMPLATE Dear [INSERT BRAND OF YOUR CHOICE], I am writing regarding the use of "Plus," "Husky," and "Slim" labels for kids' clothing. I believe these categorizations, which use loaded language and assign value to particular shapes, could have long-term negative effects on a child's body image and self-esteem. I, as well as more than 100 others, have signed a petition urging brands like yours to stop the use of these labels: https://www.change.org/p/stop-using-plus-labels-for-young-girls-clothing. Experts, like Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, a professor at the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health, share our concern, as quoted in a recent Op-Ed for Newsweek: http://www.newsweek.com/its-far-too-early-label-young-girl-plus-size-491585. There are far more responsible ways to address the different shapes and sizes our kids come in, like sticking to numbers or simply adding more options under Regular. Will [INSERT BRAND OF YOUR CHOICE] be the leader in ceasing these potentially harmful categorizations? I believe there is no ill intent behind your use of labels like "Plus" for kids, but there has been a failure to see the danger posed by using those terms, which are avoidable. Thank you for your time. And I look forward to hearing from you. Best, [INSERT YOUR NAME]