In response to the Ban Bossy campaign to outlaw the use of the word “bossy” and empower little girls, we must also begin a Ban Prissy campaign, to empower little boys. Little boys have every right to be fastidious and precise, without getting called names. Because when you call a little boy prissy:
– He may think it’s a bad idea to coordinate his briefcase with his outerwear, on the first day of kindergarten.
– He may decide not to request that the other children call him “Mr. Rudnick.”
– He will stop referring to his juicebox as an aperitif.
– Before taking a nap, he will no longer put fresh cucumber slices over his eyes.
– During dodgeball, he won’t ask his gym teacher, “So why did you decide to dodge getting a real job?”
– He may shy away from naming “the most chic” letters of the alphabet.
– During a classmate’s tantrum, he might not murmur, “No names, but someone needs to take their Ritalin.”
