A Gender-Neutral NZ! (Wise words from a nine year old)

One of our favourite Freedom Kids, who is nine years old, has written a speech for school. The students were encouraged to speak on something they were passionate about. We are honoured that Charli has allowed her fabulous speech to be shared here. Awesome work Charli!

I bet most of you know I’m not a pretty pink girl that wears dresses and skirts, I’m more of a tom boy than a girly girl. You may know when you go to Farmers or the Warehouse there’s always a boy’s section and a girl’s section, I just think that’s weird because girls can wear whatever they want and anyway there’s no such thing as boy and girl clothes just like colours.

Most adults think it's the law or something for boys to wear shorts and t-shirts and girls to wear dresses and they were made to wear certain clothes but I just think that's silly and kids should be allowed to wear what they want and be free. I'm not saying all boys have to wear dresses and all girls have to wear shorts and t-shirts it’s a choice really but some boys like skirts and headbands but they're not allowed to wear them and some girls are like me they just like to wear shorts and t-shirts. 

I really think shop owners should just stop and think, should we give kids the choice and start becoming gender neutral? And maybe, just maybe if we start right now in this town and go all the way up to the top of the North Island and all the way down to Stewart island we can make the first gender neutral country!

I'm just saying, I think boys can wear anything and the same with girls and there's really only a couple of shops in New Zealand that are gender neutral like Freedom Kids and some Farmers stores but not a lot though, but hey that's a start!

Thanks so much for sharing your speech with us Charli !