Emily Ratajkowski discussed the role that gender stereotypes might play in her young son's life, in her latest podcast episode.
The model and New York Times bestselling author - who has her own podcast, High Low with EmRata - was speaking about her decision to incorporate more traditionally-feminine toys with Uncut Gems actress and emerging fashion icon, Julia Fox.
The 31-year-old told Fox that her son "literally gets so excited" by anything with wheels, before adding: "And I'm like, I'm not kidding, this morning I ordered him a baby doll and a tea set. Cause I'm like, 'we gotta balance this out.' But also, is this just what he likes, naturally?"
Fox, who is also a mom to a young son, Valentino, then said that she purchased a pink stroller for her son, with Ratajkowski adding that her son, Sylvester, has a pink convertible.
"I'm like, are those the little ways you can start making sure the conditioning doesn't happen? And spending a lot of time around women?" Ratajkowski stated, to which Fox replied: "It's hard as a single mom, raising a son, you just don't want them to end up like every single guy you've ever met, you know? How do I stop this conditioning from occurring?"
This isn't the first time Ratajkowski has spoken of her concerns about inflicting gender stereotypes on her son, as she discussed the topic with Interview magazine in November 2021.
"Babies have this genderless quality to them, and so I love affording that to him right now," the model said of her then-eight-month-old. "I've just been treating him as this wonderful little human who's being introduced to the world."
"Actually, I noticed that as soon as people know that he's a boy, the way that they interact with him is different than they would have with a baby girl. Sometimes I feel frustrated by that because I think there's even a tendency to throw a little boy in the air, be a little bit rougher with them than you would a little girl. That stuff already bothers me because I can see where it's leading," she added.
The My Body author then detailed her intentions to raise her son with an understanding of "compassion" and "power dynamics," revealing: "I don't have the answers, but the second that I knew I was having a son it came to mind. The best I can do is teach him compassion, and about these power dynamics that men don't have to inspect in the way that women do, and make him aware of them and make him care about them."
She also touched upon the patriarchy, and how it limits men in ways she wants to avoid for her son: "I see it in my life, the ways that it limits men, and how depressing their existence and their lives can be when they have to adopt this toxic masculinity. So I also feel incredibly protective of him in the same way I would with a daughter, from this culture," she says.
Ratajkowski is not alone in her sentiments, as numerous other celebrity parents have opened up about raising their kids without the pressure of gender stereotypes - including Kate Hudson, Megan Fox, Zoe Saldaña, and even Amber Rose, People reported.