Let Girls Be Kids
Girls deserve clothes designed for childhood — for running, climbing, playing and taking up space.
Do you agree? Add your name. It takes 10 seconds.
What we’re noticing in stores
Parents everywhere are seeing it: girls’ clothes designed to look like small women’s clothing, while boys’ clothes are built for movement and play.
Styled for being seen
- Crop tops & mini skirts
- Tight fits & “be pretty / be cute” slogans
- Shoes you can’t run in
- Pastel palettes that favour “tidy” over play
Built for doing
- Practical, durable fabrics
- Comfort-first cuts for climbing & running
- Sneakers & shorts that invite movement
- Neutral colours & pockets always
Why this matters
Clothing teaches identity before language does. For many girls, the story becomes “be neat, be pleasing, be looked at,” rather than “run, climb, explore, take up space.”
Early identity shaping
From as young as three, outfits can signal whether comfort and movement are “for you.”
Confidence pipeline
These messages echo into teen years and adulthood — body shame, apologising before speaking, trading leadership for “likeability.”
Freedom over aesthetics
This isn’t about banning pink. It’s about choice, freedom and childhood, not shrinking to fit someone else’s idea of “pretty.”
Help us get 5,000 Australians behind #LetGirlsBeKids
We want to show Australia’s major retailers that thousands of us believe girls deserve clothes designed for childhood — with the same freedom to run, climb, explore, play and take up space as boys.
All we're asking you to do
If you agree, add your name.
That's it. No essay. No perfect words. Just your name behind a simple idea: girls deserve the freedom to be kids.
What happens next
- Gather: Our first goal is 5,000 people behind #LetGirlsBeKids.
- Show: We’ll use that collective support to demonstrate that this matters to Australian families and communities.
- Take it to retailers: We’ll approach major Australian retailers with the campaign and ask them to be part of the conversation.
- Invite change: We’ll call on retailers to give girls more practical, age-appropriate choices designed for movement, comfort and play.
Good to know (quick answers)
Is this anti-pink or anti-feminine?
No. It’s pro-choice and pro-freedom. Pink, sparkles and dressing up can be joyful. We’re asking for girls to also have options that prioritise movement, comfort and play.
Are you blaming parents?
Absolutely not. Parents are navigating what’s available. Our focus is culture and supply: what’s designed, marketed and displayed to our kids.
What does adding my name support?
Your name helps us demonstrate public support for #LetGirlsBeKids. Our first goal is 5,000 names, which we’ll use to take this message directly to major Australian retailers and invite them to help create more practical, comfortable and age-appropriate choices for girls.
What is #ShiftTheStory?
Generation Women Australia believes the stories and messages we surround ourselves with shape how we see ourselves and each other. #LetGirlsBeKids is one way we’re working to #ShiftTheStory about what girlhood gets to look like.
Do you agree?
Add your name to #LetGirlsBeKids. It takes 10 seconds, but thousands of us together are much harder to ignore.
#LetGirlsBeKids | Help us #ShiftTheStory