How to raise a feminist baby

By Jen Barton Packer on 2/4/2019

Meghan Markle may not be a mother yet, but she's been open about what kind of baby she plans to raise: a feminist, of course (and that's regardless of whether Baby Sussex is a boy or a girl).
'It's funny, I'd actually been joking these past few weeks; I'd seen this documentary on Netflix about feminism and one of the things they said during pregnancy was, "I feel the embryonic kicking of feminism". I loved that. So boy or girl, whatever it is, we hope that that's the case,' Markle said at an International Women's Day panel.
We think a feminist baby sounds pretty cool – and we don't need to be royalty to have one. Here are some of the things you can do and the brands to know to encourage your baby to embrace feminism from their earliest days. Bonus points if 'suffragette' is their first word...

Build a feminist library

Parents are constantly told to read, read and then read some more with their children – in fact, a '10 a day' of reading (that's 10 minutes) is now being recommended by some experts, like the five-a-day of fruit and veg.

Parents these days have a wealth of fierce, feminist literature to start reading from day one: The Little Feminist Board Book Set (£12.99 for four mini books) by Emily Kleinman and Lydia Ortiz is a great intro for baby to learn about some inspiring female heroes.

There are dozens of incredible, inspiring and funny feminist books for growing kids, especially those telling stories of remarkable trailblazers in history, like the Little People, Big Dreams series, Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls and Stories for Boys Who Dare To Be Different. Looking to teach kids about cool STEM careers in a playful way? Andrea Beaty and David Roberts' series of books (Ada Twist, Scientist, Iggy Peck, Architect, Rosie Revere, Engineer and the forthcoming Sofia Valdez, Future Prez) are simply amazing.

Find feminist toys

The toys your children play with impact their development and can encourage their learning and career choices down the line (we're thinking of every engineer and architect who spent their childhood obsessively playing with Lego). The award-winning Lottie doll is every feminist parent's toy of choice: the anti-Barbie, Lottie is designed with a nine-year-old's body shape and really cool hobbies, including STEAM interests like painting, fossil hunting and wildlife photography. There's even a kid activist Lottie, inspired by 11-year-old campaigner Mari Copeny, who's been fighting to get clean water to the people of Flint, Michigan.

Wear your feminist slogan on your sleeve

All future feminists need a 'Smash the Patriarchy' or 'Girls Just Wanna Have FUNdamental Rights' T-shirt or hoodie and The Spark Company is the place to get it (as well as stocking up on Pride rainbow and feminist tees for adults). Every Harry Potter fan needs this slogan sweatshirt: 'Without Hermione, Harry would have died in book #1.'

Designer babes should check out Dior's SS19 tees, which have feminist Robin Morgan's book slogans emblazoned on them ('Sisterhood is powerful,' 'Sisterhood is global' and 'Sisterhood is forever') and you can also stock up on feminist babygros for your newborn/niece/nephew/godchild at Etsy and Cafepress.

Don't forget about the boys

There are millions of things we need to teach our babes: how to read, write, learn to behave in sushi restaurants, be decent human beings... Among the many life lessons, don't forget that feminism isn't just something we want to be teaching our daughters – it's vital that we teach our sons to be feminists, and to champion female equality. Encouraging female friendships, letting them know that it's OK to show emotion and reading them stories about girls are all easy ways to get the feminist ball rolling. Loryn Brantz can help, too – her bestselling Feminist Baby series of board books is the perfect starting point for discussions about boys, girls and equality.

Shouldn't we just let kids be kids - and play with whatever they want to? Photo: ELC

Ditch the trad pink and blue

Embracing a gender-neutral approach to parenting doesn't mean raising a theyby – it's about letting your kid be whoever they want to be. A boy who likes pushing a doll in a pushchair, a girl who's obsessed with building, a bedroom that expresses whoever they are, in whatever colour they choose. Feminist parenting is definitely about favouring a more gender-neutral approach to toys, games, activities, books and clothing choices, letting kids be kids and explaining that toys aren't gendered, their marketing campaigns are.

This also requires parents to be more self-aware: a 2014 study in The British Journal of Developmental Psychology found that mothers talk to their daughters using more emotion-led language than they use with their sons; inadvertently, this can reinforce gender stereotypes for kids and help girls attain a better level of emotional intelligence.

Get them listening

Parents love podcasts: educational, illuminating and screen-free, even toddlers can enjoy them. The bestselling Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls series is now a podcast with each episode focusing on a different extraordinary woman in history, from Ada Lovelace to Harriet Tubman. Also check out Girl Tales, which offers a feminist twist on classic myths and fables, as well as interviewing girls doing cool and inspiring things.

Talk to them about feminism

Children copy and internalise the behaviours around them, which means that raising a feminist requires parents to check their own actions. If they involve mum always stacking the dishwasher and being the one to rouse the sleeping baby – as this illustration from Loryn Brantz's Feminist Baby so brilliantly illustrates – then parents will need to question the entrenched gender stereotypes they might not even be aware they're living and breathing. As well as trying to role-model feminist-friendly behaviours, start talking to your kids, about everything: the gender-pay gap, body shaming, how the media manipulates imagery, how they should be in control of who touches them and the rules of consent...

Kids' activism and the climate change strike

Encourage activism

As parents we're mostly just trying to survive, but instilling the self-belief in our children that they can change the world and right any inequalities they see? Yes, please. Children are naturally interested; feed that curiosity with the activism that's in the London air: women's marches, climate marches, Brexit protests. Encourage your child to start their own revolution at school: maybe they'll be plogging in the park (that's picking up plastic and rubbish) or will start an anti-bullying committee.

Show them feminist art

It's never too early to teach your mini-me about how to subvert the male gaze – just show them the works of London-based artists like Venetia Berry. Her vases will soon be on sale at Matches.com – perfect for displaying that bouquet of flowers you bought yourself. Don't miss out on inspirational female portraits at the National Portrait Gallery (we love Christabel Pankhurst's) or the Lee Krasner exhibition at the Barbican in spring 2019.

The six wives of Henry VIII are pop princesses in Six: The Musical

Take them to feminist shows

For older children, London's theatre scene at the moment is the stuff of feminist fantasy, from the six wives of Henry VIII reclaiming their narrative as a fierce and funny contemporary pop group in Six the Musical to overlooked Elizabethan poet Emilia Bassano getting her moment in the spotlight in Emilia.