Loving Dad Starts a Movement Teaching Girls They Can Be Their Own Superheroes

By Anna Gragert on October 31, 2015

A loving father named John Marcotte observed something interesting when he was shopping for his little girls' Halloween costumes. As he made his way through the store, he noticed a distinct difference between the costumes offered to boys and the costumes that were being marketed to girls. “Boys are given a full range of costumes that tell them they can be anything they want – heroic, brilliant, or scary,” Marcotte told BuzzFeed. “Meanwhile, the girls' costume aisles are usually fairies and princesses, and [this] tells them that the only thing society values about them is their appearance.” That's exactly why the dad founded Heroic Girls and started the #MoreThanCute campaign, which encourages girls and parents to think creatively when picking out a Halloween costume.

“It's fine to look cute,” Marcotte says. “But Halloween is a time to let your imagination run wild and to dream about what you want to be.” To support this meaningful project, parents have dressed their daughters as superheroes, ninjas, sports stars, firefighters–basically, anything their daughters really wanted. They've proceeded to share these empowering images on various social media platforms with the initiative's hashtag. As for the overall response, Marcotte revealed that it has been both informative and positive. Many moms and dads share exactly the same concerns, since they've realized that most costumes involve short skirts and that, overall, there are limited choices for their daughters.

Marcotte admits, “I am the father of two little girls, and nothing makes you a more active feminist than wanting them to have the type of limitless opportunities they deserve.”

Above illustration: Melissa Pagluica

Supergirl – Photo credit: Jeremy Hooper