The Conversation (0)
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Izin Akhabau
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Paul Kane / Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images
People are debating whether or not celebrity fathers calling themselves 'girl dads' is problematic.
The controversy was sparked by Alex Ohanian, husband of Serena Williams, sporting a 'girl dad' mask while supporting his wife at the US Open with his daughter, Olympia.
The mask may have been a tribute to the late Kobe Bryant who also used the phrase to celebrate his own daughters.
Some people praised Ohanian for calling himself a 'girl dad'.
Serena.’s husband, Alex, balancing Olympia on his knee & kissing her little head - while wearing a Girl Dad mask -… https://t.co/RadJS7sTPg— JaneF (@JaneF) 1599337118
I love @alexisohanian mask! #GirlDad #USOpen @serenawilliams— FFWIR 🇳🇿 (@FFWIR 🇳🇿) 1599337172
But others see the term as unnecessarily gendered.
How is a 'girl dad' any different from a 'dad'?
I understand people are emotional right now, but #girldad and #boymom are very problematic labels IMO. Can’t we ju… https://t.co/wJakXeghLN— mocha jane (@mocha jane) 1580301277
@peapodmcgee I am the father of 3 boys, it would obviously be a more fulfilling experience if they were girls. Appa… https://t.co/j0bi1xgDwG— DADBALL (@DADBALL) 1580302564
@peapodmcgee I have always thought those hashtags are super weird and wondered if it was a thing I didn’t get because I don’t have kids— Extraordinary Machine (@Extraordinary Machine) 1580319629
It's not just celebrities who use 'girl dad'.
The term seems to be particularly popular when fathers undertake traditionally male-dominated activities with their daughters.
Eldest had her first High School Geography class, and they had to write a list of things they want to do by aged 30… https://t.co/faScFzwiLe— Garry Luke (@Garry Luke) 1599551842
Sitting with my daughter and nieces watching Snow White and hearing them point out all the problematic parts of the… https://t.co/In6MgEhtut— Ťřüę§ţ (@Ťřüę§ţ) 1582407844
Labor day 2020. ~Christyana #girldad #warriorqueen #gocowboys #adorable https://t.co/R9Xym42EWG— Mr_Rush2 (@Mr_Rush2) 1599564304
Some people have also used the hashtag in tweets about wanting to protect their daughter's modesty or stop them from growing up too quickly, which are super weird and outdated tropes.
The Washington Post's Rebecca Hains pointed out that, like #GirlPower, #GirlDad only exists because of the existence of gender stereotypes.
#BoyDad doesn't have quite the same reach...
Pride in being a ‘#GirlDad’ is good, but it shows how far we still have to go, @RCHains writes https://t.co/FAntxwKKEP— Washington Post Opinions (@Washington Post Opinions) 1580750630
Most people using the #GirlDad hashtag have positive intentions. Like Kobe Bryant, they want to empower their daughters and prove that they're just as capable and important as their sons.
Being a #GirlDad is the most humbling experience of my life. I don’t have a clue what I’m actually doing, but I’m c… https://t.co/SRHqgXlCxc— David Earl (@David Earl) 1580305244
But children are not defined by their gender. Putting too many expectations on them too early can be damaging.
And empowering women is more than just a trendy hashtag or a slogan on a mask.
#GirlDad can only ever be the beginning of truly uplifting your daughter.