This month is No Gender December. No Gender December is a campaign to encourage parents and consumers to stop labelling toys as “boys” or “girls” and eliminate gender stereotypes. This means encouraging our children to play with what they want to play with, letting their imagination and creativity run wild. It is also a campaign to stop marketing specifically towards a gendered audience and let anyone who wants to use products feel welcome. 

My name is Kyle, and I am one of the dance instructors at Kinect2Dance. Dance has many benefits, such as developing focus, discipline, new skills, and improvement in creativity. As a male dancer, I firmly believe it is these reasons and more why everyone should be allowed to dance. 

This campaign is essential, and while it is meant directly for toys and advertising, it has a great message. A message that can be directed to dance. People say, “it’s a girl thing,” and “why would you want to do something girly?” BOYS DANCE TOO! While our communities are getting more inclusive, boys are still being frowned upon for wanting to dance. 

Growing up, I was always the outcast at school—the boy who wanted to dance. Unfortunately, I was bullied and picked on because I did dance classes outside of school and was the only boy in my year level that did. I was always told to “stop being a girl” and that “only girls dance.” Growing up, if I had been lucky enough to participate in a school dance program like Kinect, my schooling life would’ve been very different. My fellow students would have seen that it’s okay for boys to dance and would have been encouraged to dance too. I don’t believe I would have felt as much like an outcast. 

As a teacher and a role model, all my students must be praised and celebrated for being themselves, especially by their peers. Now, in my role, I not only get to witness it firsthand, but I also get to facilitate change by breaking the mould of gendered stereotypes. I get to help all students interested in dance not be ashamed; dance is incredible.

Last term, one of my favourite moments at Kinect happened at a school. A male student pulled me aside at the start of class. He was excited to show me his painted nails, sparkling his fingers and looking at me with a big grin. The student explained he had seen my nails painted in class the week before – we matched! 

At Kinect2Dance, we encourage all students – no matter their gender identity, to join in and participate in dance classes. As it turns out, everyone enjoys it.

So what can you do to encourage the dismantling of gender stereotypes? Ask your kids what they want, what toys they would like to play with, and what sports they would like to play. Please encourage them to try new things and step out of their comfort soon. Let kids be kids!