Where to begin? My name is Andrea Shindeldecker and I'm many things, but as we say in the business, I am first and foremost, a mother. A mother to two amazing girls. I tell them every day that they are awesome and that they can accomplish whatever they strive for and that boys and girls, men and women are equal. The lessons they're learning in the store aisles, reflect that my sincerest lesson, may hold a kernel of falsehood.

My first-born, Charlotte will be 5 in 2 days. She LOVES Spider-Man. All the superheros, but Spidey is her one, truest love. She has begged, since she was beginning to potty train, for Spidey undies. We even tried the boys. While buying out of the boys department works for t-shirts and pajamas, alas, not for underwear. Today, she got mad. She told me that it's NOT FAIR. That she loves Spider-Man and knows more about him than lots of kids. It's not fair that she can't have the Spidey undies and it makes her SO MAD. If she's not allowed to have something as silly as the underwear, what else can't she have? A very good question indeed.

It's not just Spider-Man that she can't have. It happens with all the children's characters. A boy who loves Dora or Cinderella, a little girl that wants both Thor and Foofa underwear. Every day, they're told told that what they want is only for children of the opposite gender. It seems like such a small thing, but what we are telling small children, on their first MAJOR transition out of babyhood is that their favorite character is not for them. That they are wrong. What a terrible message. Kids can and do like whatever they want. Heroes and princesses alike, are for all children. And if a favored hero can be worn on a day they are nervous such as a recital or a first day at a new school; then why should we deny them that small comfort!? Why should we tell our kids they can only want the characters on one side of the store aisle?
It's a big world, and we tell our kids they are free to be themselves and pursue their own paths. However, we tell them from a young age that they can't be themselves, they can be pink or blue. I want my kids to feel free to embrace all their facets of their diamond personalities, to dream of being like strong heroes and courageous princesses, to be every color of the rainbow. I wish that for your kids too.

Let's start with the underwear, and we'll work our way out to the outermost layers of clothing.