Sometimes parents can get thrown off by their child’s fashion choices, especially when the clothes don’t match their expectations. (In fact, I suspect my mom still sometimes thinks, “You’re gonna wear that?” She just doesn’t voice it any more.) Jared Qwustenuxun Williams, a First Nations food teacher and chef on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, decided to fiercely defend his kids’ individuality, and in a now-viral Facebook post, he shared that he hopes others can draw some courage to wear what they want, too.
In the post, Williams included a photo of his son, Finn, rocking a buttoned polo shirt under a full-length pink princess gown.
“Finn is a boy who likes to wear dresses and I am so damn proud of him,” Williams writes. “And if anyone in my life says anything bad about a dude in a dress they are gonna meet the papa bear in me. In my house we accept people as they are and support them to be who they want to be.”
If you’re a parent and you’ve ever invoked your inner papa or mama bear, you know Williams isn’t kidding around here!
You can see Finn’s adorable outfit and his dad’s touching message in full in the Facebook post below:
“My son likes to wear dresses,” the post begins. “I am so damn proud of his strength and bravery. I keep using male pronouns because even though we give him space he tells us, and everyone else, that he is ‘just a boy who likes to wear dresses.'”
Williams goes on to say that he talked with his son about sharing this photo, and why he thought it was important.
“‘Hey bud, remember that awesome picture of you in that beautiful pink dress? Well remember how you were afraid to wear a dress for a while? Well, I want to share your picture so that if maybe if another boy is afraid to wear a dress he’ll see your picture and not be afraid because he can see you in a dress and know he is not alone.’ Finn got the biggest smile on his face and said, ‘Dad, maybe you should share that picture.’ What a strong little guy.”
It’s clear that in this family, self-expression is embraced and defended — and that goes for hair styles, too. Check out the mohawks on dad and kiddo in this photo Williams posted of himself with his two sons. Looking good!
Keep being uniquely you, Finn! Your dad definitely has your back!
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