Little Katie Goldman just wanted to love Star Wars, but bullies at her school told her those movies were only for boys. In the weeks that have followed, the Internet has proven them so very, very wrong.
A major campaign on blogs, fan sites, Twitter, Facebook, and more has brought Katie's story into the spotlight proving once and for all that Star Wars is for everyone.
It all started with a water bottle, a Star Wars bottle. It's Katie's favorite, but the other children at school made fun of her, insisting that Star Wars was "only for boys." Embarrassed, Katie told her mother she wanted to bring a pink one. But her mother wanted more answers.
After uncovering the bullying, Carrie Goldman blogged about it and the story went viral.
About 1,200 people left messages for Katie. Readers were coming from Yates' blog, where more than 3,000 more comments stacked up. The story was linked on Star Wars message boards, parenting blogs, tech sites. A Twitter hashtag, #maytheforcebewithkatie was born.
According to CNN:
Guys and gals of all ages wrote about how they'd been bullied, and how life had gotten so much better since then. They shared that they loved "Star Wars," that they wore glasses, that they were adopted -- just like Luke, just like Leia, just like Katie. ThinkGeek, a nerdy online retailer, sent Katie a lightsaber. Artist Scott Zirkel sent a cartoon of Katie as a Jedi, glasses and all. A first-grade class in California sent letters to Katie as a show of support. Taber and the rest of the cast of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," sent "Star Wars" merch. Ashley Eckstein, who voices the female Jedi Ahsoka Tano, sent Her Universe clothes tailored for girls. Tom Kane, who voices Yoda, escorted the Goldmans to a screening near their home.
It's all incredible and today (December 10) Katie's school hosted Proud to Be Me Day where kids were encouraged to wear something representative of their interests, whatever those might be, and Katie will have her water bottle.
Of course, this isn't unlike the little boy who wanted to dress up like Daphne from Scooby-Doo for Halloween. Children -- and adults -- do have a very limited idea of what is socially acceptable for boys and girls.
But I am here to tell them, as a mother of a 4-year-old girl who is obsessed with Star Wars, they better back off! The bullies won't win this one. Because Star Wars is for everyone. I hear that familiar score and I'm ready to watch all six! Bring them on!
There is a princess for god's sake. But really, what about Star Wars makes it a boy story? Truth be told, I love Star Wars. And not just the girl characters. Sure, the action can get a little dull, but the main women -- Amidala and Princess Leia -- are awesome and kick ass. They blow any Disney princess (except Rapunzel) straight out of the water in terms of capability and intelligence. These are the role models I want for my daughter!
But it isn't just the female characters. The story itself is a quest story that appeals to both genders. It's a story of triumph, action, love, revenge, and anger. It also has Han Solo who is ridiculously sexy.
But seriously, can't we all just agree that some boys like Daphne from Scooby-Doo and some girls love Star Wars? Where are kids getting these ideas that one gender loves one thing and the other loves the other? It is crazy making.
All we can say is, may the force be with Katie. And with us all.
Does your child like something "off-gender"?
This Hot Dad Wants to Do Your Ironing
KStew Refuses to Shower
This Hot Dad Wants to Cook You Dinner
This Hot Dad Cooks AND Does the Dishes
Comments 11
Kids can be so brutal with eachother. Those that get picked on, well, I hate to say it but it's the parents. Yes, thou shalt not hit or yell. Thou shall love everyone, thou shalt not start fights.
Thou needs to grow some balls and kick some ass sometimes.
I got picked on in school and I got quite tired of the boys calling me "flatsy".....yeah, right.
So I literally kicked ass one day. They never bothered me again.
I'm a definite Star Wars geek, Star Trek geek, Star Gate SG1 geek, Star Gate Atlantis geek, any sci fi. I'm glad this went viral. I never heard that Star Wars was just for boys. GI Joes, maybe. Barbies, not so much. But leave it to a bunch of kids to start a controversy over a girl liking a movie.
Awe, yay for Star Wars ;) This Halloween my daughter went as Yoda, the year before... Chewy :)
Girls aren't suppose to like Star Wars? I must have missed the memo!
I have a girl and boy. They both play with dolls, bears, littlest pet shop, transformers, cars, etc.
I think kids will take anything as an excuse to pick on another kid.
I got bullied a lot in school. That ended when I stood up for myself and did something that landed several of us in dentention for several days. I love Star Wars, Star Trek, all the sci-fi and comic book hero movies. I have a boy and a girl. My son likes to help out in the kitchen once in a while and roughhouse the rest of the time. My daughter likes to play with her brothers trucks when she is not playing with her dolls. Girls can like whatever they want. Boys can too. Who cares what bullies think, and I use that last word loosely.
I like Star Wars... but I LOVE Star Trek and Stargate, lol. I try not to push any specific gender roles, toys, movies, etc on my boy and girl. My son played with a baby doll when he was younger (hubby hated that) and he loves Angelina Ballerina... but he also love trucks, guns, and Star Wars. My daughter's only 1 but already enjoys playing with trucks, footballs, and baby dolls. I have no idea what they're going to enjoy or be good at as they get older so I want to leave all options open to them :)
I have loved star wars as long as I can remember, one of my earliest memories is of darth vader! And it wasn't always cool and I got teased for it, but I just decided boys were cooler than girls! My son about lost his mind when I walked into his class to volunteer in my Empire Strikes Back shirt, I was the coolest mom EVER!
My three year old daughter loves football, spiderman, superheros, dinosaurs and transformers in addition to a stack of super girly stuff. Not so much star wars, but I'm still hoping, LOL. My son loves the disney princess movies. When he was 2 he had his own cinderella doll (he gave it to his sister when she was big enough) but we have told him there is nothing wrong with him liking the princesses and tinkerbell. granted he doesn't wear princess shirts or anything but he enjoys them and why not!
Heck we ALLLL played Star Wars on the playground at recess when I was a kid...weird thing is MY kids do the same thing 30 years later! My daughter often shops often in the "boys section" for shorts. She is 12 and doesn't like short shorts.. the other day a kid told my 10 year old "why does your sister wear boys clothes" she responded " There is no such thing as boy clothes or girl clothes only clothes that you are comfortable in then they become yoooouuuur clothes" !
soccer (in my country, liking soccer is a requirement to be a boy... and NOT liking it is what defines a girlie girl!)...she does Tae Kwon Do...as well as ballet and jazz...her best friend (oh, the shame!) is a boy... my dd is the "weird girl" of the class because of this! I have told her "weird" is what petty minds call people who are extraordinary!