Lifestyle1 min(s) read
Published 16:34 09 Sep 2020 GMT
A mother has shared a now-viral tweet in which she reveals that her daughter was "irritated" after her school appeared to issue gendered face masks to students.
As children begin to return to schools, safety precautions such as social distancing, good hygiene practices and face masks have become part of the daily reality of education.
Yet Dr Catherine Lebel was less-than-impressed after her daughter's school issued a pink mask covered in kisses to her daughter, while her brother was given a plain blue mask.
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"8 yo daughter came home irritated today about the “girl masks” and “boy masks” that were distributed to her class." She captioned the tweet, which has garnered more than 11k likes and 1.7k retweets since it was posted.
Dr. Lebel told the Mirror:
"I am irritated by this, but not outraged. Certainly this is not the biggest thing we have to worry about right now, and I am glad to see the school providing masks.
"However, it seems unnecessary to promote gender stereotypes and I think it’s important to call them out when I see them.
"The gendering just seems unnecessary. Masks are masks and can be for whoever they fit.
"We try really hard not to talk about things being only for girls or boys and I really want kids (not just my own) to grow up with a sense of equal opportunity."
And the tweet sparked many comments on social media, as well.
"If they were just pink and blue masks, I'd move on and wouldn't comment. But I'm concerned about the lips/kisses on the "girl" masks. I'm not down with what that suggests, encourages, or celebrates and how it could be interpreted and used against the girls who are wearing them." One Twitter user wrote.
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"The lipsticked mouths on here make me sick! These are for girls? What about putting on chemical elements or prime numbers? Make them all green with trees or grass or the ocean? Systemic racism meet gender stereotypes." Another commenter wrote.
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However, another Twitter user took a slightly different view. "We’re in the middle of a global pandemic, trying to do the best we can! Why expect the school to supply masks? Does the school supply underpants? Hats? Sun screen?" They wrote.
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A spokesperson for Alberta's Municipal Affairs said:
"The masks came in a wide variety of colours and patterns from Old Navy and IFR Workwear, and our government had absolutely zero input in deciding which colours were sent. The sole goal of the masks is preventing the spread of COVID-19, not fashion statements or political agendas. If parents do not like the specific provided masks, they are free to take their concerns to their local schools or purchase other masks."
