Sydney childcare centre slammed after telling two-year-old boy not to wear Queen Elsa dress

Is it OK to let a boy wear a dress?

The issue reared its head this month when a Sydney mother was left outraged when her son’s childcare centre told her not to let her boy dress as Queen Elsa from the movie Frozen during book week.

The centre said it would lead to him being bullied.

Australia’s leading child psychologist, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, slammed the centre in question and told Neil Mitchell the mother could potentially have a case for discrimination.

‘Can you believe this, Neil?’ he said on 3AW Mornings.

‘You’ve basically got adults pushing their gender stereotypes onto a two-year-old.

‘Two-year-olds don’t have the cognitive or emotional maturity ? they don’t have an understanding of gender roles.

‘I think what lies behind this is an irrational fear that in some way you’re going to make this boy gay. It really is extraordinary.’

It saw the 3AW switchboard light up, with several callers telling Neil their young sons and grandsons had worn the same costume.

‘The other parents thought it was fabulous that we let him, he certainly wasn’t bullied,’ caller Kate said.

Dr Carr-Gregg said letting a boy wear a dress had absolutely zero impact on a child’s sexuality later in life.

Caller Sarah got emotional when detailing her own son’s desire to wear dresses as a child. He revealed himself to be same-sex attracted several years later.

‘I just feel that if we didn’t let him be who he was? I just imagine how terrible he would have felt and alone,’ she said.

LISTEN: Dr Michael Carr-Gregg and callers discuss the issue on 3AW