I remember in elementary school, boys would think it was so funny to say that their favorite color was pink. I never understood what was so funny about the color pink.

Later I realized that the boys at school viewed pink as a girl color, and a girl color meant that it was feminine and wasn’t “strong” enough.

But colors like red and blue were  boy colors — strong and masculine.

The color you like doesn’t determine how masculine or feminine you are.

The only reason why people associate color as feminine or masculine is because of a generalization that was created to put sexes into boxes.

Views on colors are similar to how gender is viewed in fashion.

We all grew up with the societal norms that men should wear suits, and women should wear dresses. It was decided in the 1940s that gender should be more prominent in fashion for the purpose of men and women “dressing to their parts.”

Obviously we’ve come a long way from the 1940s.

I scroll through my social media feed and see boys in skirts and dresses and girls in suits and button downs.

Fashion is becoming more androgynous. If someone feels like a dress best fits their body and their personality, there is no reason why they shouldn’t wear it.

Toxic masculinity plays a part in why men feel they need to dress “like a man,” with powerful suits, and a tight tie to assert dominance.

Men aren’t the only ones who struggle with toxicity in fashion — women also face a lot of trouble.

Recently, I’ve been buying mens shorts because they are longer and more comfortable.

When I was buying them in store, I went to the checkout, and they asked me if I wanted a gift receipt like they were for someone else. When I explained to the clerk that they were for me, she was confused at first then loved the idea of women wearing mens clothes.

Not only do women face an unrealistic standard of beauty and body types, but they are forced to wear uncomfortable clothes just to fit in.

Women are always being told what to wear, whether it’s a dress code or other men telling women what they can and can’t wear. Spoiler alert: womens clothes are restricting and uncomfortable. I’d rather wear long shorts and a T-shirt to school than jeans and a form-fitting shirt.

Women deserve to dress outside the norms because women deserve to be comfortable in what they wear and feel confident in it as well.

A man wearing make-up, a skirt or a crop top is still a man. His gender identification doesn’t change based on his clothing.

A woman not wearing make-up, with a short haircut or one who wears suits is still a woman. Her gender identification doesn’t change based on her clothing.

Masculinity and femininity aren’t genders — they are behaviors and roles rooted from stereotypical gendered experiences.

Why not step out of your comfort zone and wear something new and forward?

As a generation, we should accept new trends and push boundaries.

Gender-neutral clothing is the future of fashion.

It stands for equality and breaks all stereotypes that force people into boxes.