Thanks for being "down" with Down syndrome Nordstrom...!
Thanks for being "down" with Down syndrome Nordstrom...!
As I turned to page 72 of Nordstrom’s Anniversary Catalog I was happy to see smiling back at me an adorable boy sporting a stylish leather jacket. He was very fashionable, very cool, very hip…and he has Down syndrome.
Way to go Nordstrom!
With so many organizations (like GQ Magazine) printing and promoting ill-informed views, and false facts about Down syndrome, I’m grateful for companies like Nordstrom that understand and embrace the truth that people with Down syndrome are not “ruined,” by any means!
Rather they are 100% complete. Lacking nothing. (In fact, they even have a little something extra.) Oh, and as you can see…are very fashionable.
I must confess that it wasn’t until after Noah was born that my eyes were open to the lack of inclusion of those with “special needs” in our modern society. I often joke with my wife when we’re in Babies R Us that I’m going to ask someone, “Hey, I noticed that none of your advertisements have any pictures of babies with Down syndrome in them. How come?” I’d wait about five seconds before I told them I was just joking around (sort of.) The awkwardness would be priceless!
But I’m nice.
On a serious note I applaud organizations like Nordstrom, and shows like Glee that do a great job of helping to educate the public that Down syndrome is ok.
That people with Down syndrome deserve to be included in every single area of life. That they just as much of a human as you or I. That you don’t have to be talk down to them. That they like to play. They like to have fun. And yes, some of them even like to model.
I have Down syndrome, not the swine flu!
They like to do all of the same things that any other person on this planet likes to do. They don’t need to be “babied” or treated like they have some sort of strange sickness.
People often tell me they praying for Noah, and most of the time I love that! We can use all the prayer we can get.
But sometimes when people say they are praying for our son they have this tone in their voice like they are praying for him to be “healed” of the swine flu, or the chicken pox. I jokingly (and I really do say this) say to them, “No! Please don’t pray for our son to be ‘healed’ of Down syndrome. We really like our son, and would prefer to keep him!”
By the way, thanks Nordstrom for showing the world that inclusion, not exclusion is important. I saw that Babies R Us also uses Down syndrome models…but only in their “special needs” toys catalog.
What the heck is a “special needs toy” any way? A toy is a toy. I promise you that an extra chromosome doesn’t keep a child with Down syndrome from wanting to play with Legos, Barbies, and G.I. Joes. Oh, and Nordstrom, if you ever put out a “special needs” clothing catalog I’m taking back everything I said in this blog post! 🙂
Genetic Lesson #021
Please, don't "pray" it away. 🙂
If you were to “take away” Down syndrome you would take away our son. He would have a completely different genetic code, thus being a completely different person.
So pray for him to behave, pray for him to come to know God through Christ, pray for him to develop into everything God has created him to be, pray for him to be loving, and kind, and pray for the small hole in his heart to close up before we go back to the doctor.
But please don’t pray for him to be “healed” of Down syndrome.
I hope and pray that more organizations will use a slice of their time, energy, resources and platform to showing the world that people with Down syndrome are as fully human as any other person on this planet.
What other companies have you seen that do a great job at this?
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This is wonderful! So glad to see Nordstrom featuring a child with Down syndrome among their other child-models. Not in a "special needs" publication, not in a "look at us featuring a child with special needs" sort of way...he's just a kid, with the other kids. Love.it. (And, he also happens to be the cutest kid in the add, in my opinion! :) )
Yelp, I agree with you on all accounts!
:)
By the way, you should get a Gravatar ------> http://en.gravatar.com/
So true. Too bad the producers of the movie, "The Change Up " were so insensitive to children with Developmental Disabilities. People should boycott such a movie.
Babies r us has has ads with our guys just very long ago I guess as has toys r us. Just glad to see any ad with our special kids! Thanx for sharing!
Really...?! Was it their regular, goes-out-to-everyone, catalog? Or the "special needs" one I talked about?
By the way, you should get a Gravatar ---------> http://en.gravatar.com/
This is wonderful!! Way to go Nordstrom.
Also, Toys R Us does publish a catalogue for toys that are appropriate for special needs kids.
Yes, I know. I mentioned it in my post.
However, I'd really like Toys R Us to follow Nordstrom's lead and include children with Down syndrome in their "normal" catalog as well.
They do. Watch the local ads. I see them in there at times. And love when my younger son says, HEY! That kid looks cool like Noah! (Great name eh?)
I remember in the early 1990s there was a model with Down syndrome we knew in a Nordstrom newspaper ad and catalog around the same time I was contacted to call moms of several new babies born with DS. It made such a difference to those families - and me, too - to know a quality store like Nordstrom recognized the potential and attractiveness of our children.
My son has been a big fan of Nordstrom (and vice versa) from his early days when store employees at their Bellevue Square and Southcenter stores would make over him while my friends and I shopped there.
They have always had the most knowledgeable sales people in their shoe departments and we never missed their children's shoe sales - both he and his sister benefitted from that! Of course, those sales happily coincided with the adult shoe sale.
My son especially loved taking a break at Nordstrom cafes, especially in his teen years when his sister and her friends would shop while we stopped for *at least* a cup of coffee and one of their amazing macaroons.
I cannot fail to mention that company has sponsored the Nordstrom Beat the Bridge to Beat Diabetes event that benefits the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation since the year he was born. I know Nordstrom employees put in a lot of volunteer time for Beat the Bridge, too. He developed diabetes when he was seven years old and that was a fairly scary transition for him to make. It was so good for all of us to find a friendly name attached to his new life with diabetes; I believe he still has a t-shirt we picked up at the store that he has kept all these years because of course they made a big production out of his participation.
We always had to walk over to the men's fragrance department because he felt especially welcome there. I don't know why I am writing in the past tense here - he is always up for a trip to Nordstrom. His sister and I were just shopping there yesterday and had a nice lunch in the cafe, where I reminded her of these same stories. I was searching through the archives of the down-syn list earlier and found a message I wrote in 1994: "a local store here, Nordstrom, features models with DS" - and wonder if I had mentioned another local business, Starbucks, where he learned all about how to make a good cup of coffee.
:-)
My son has also been a long time fan of GQ magazine - and I bet there are many, many people associated with that magazine who are just heartsick over the remark that recently shocked and angered all of us. It's so great to remember that people with Down syndrome of all ages find friends, supporters and advocates everywhere. Thanks for reminding us that Nordstrom appreciates customers with Down syndrome and their families.
Pam, that's very cool!
It sounds like you guys have a blast at your house! By the way, it looks like you have a ton of great facts and information on your blog! I need to come spend some time checking them out!
By the way...you should get a Gravatar -----> http://en.gravatar.com/
I've loved Nordstrom for a lot of not very noble reasons, beginning with their very first store in the Chicago area. But this is really terrific! I agree with Brianna: using the model with Down Syndrome as just one of the kids says a lot about someone's sensitivity or marketing savvy (or both).
Sally, I agree with you...I think using a child Down syndrome is a good mix of sensitivity and marketing! :)
By the way...you should get a Gravatar -----> http://en.gravatar.com/
Nordstom is stylin' - I love that they show beauty in ALL people!
I agree! Big thumbs up to Nordstrom!
Yeah Nordstrom and thank you!..... making the Pacific Northwest proud!
Thanks Tom, I agree!
By the way, you should grab a Gravatar -----> http://en.gravatar.com/
I could have used a little less "toddler" from Seth today. He gave Emily and me a run for our money. But, you are correct, asking that my son be healed of Down Syndrome is like asking for a typically developing child to be healed of his personality. It's who they are. I certainly know God could change Seth's genetic code if he desired, but I'm convinced he placed Seth in our lives just the way he wanted him to be.
Joel we have been praying for you guys! Potty training sure doesn't sound fun (for any kid). I'm not looking forward to it, but I'm sure you guys are great potty coaches! :)
By the way...I have wished that God would change plenty of kids personality..I've met some means ones.
But I've never asked God to change their eye color, hair color, etc... :)
About the genetic code...I suppose it's sort of like could God make a rock so big He couldn't move it? sure He could, but would He...? He could do anything, but I'm almost certain He wouldn't create, and then un-create (change a genetic code). If so, Seth wouldn't be Seth as we know him. He'd be a different Seth. However, I'm not 100% on any of this, it's just where I land now. I'm always open to learning and studying more.
We should go through that Theology of Down Syndrome together. I've read bits and pieces as I have considered what I'm going to write my thesis on, but would like to dive into the entire book. Maybe we could do it. An ichat Book / Bible study perhaps! :)
Target uses a couple of little ones with designer genes too (I know one... her name is Gabby and super cute).
(personally, I like special needs catalogs and shops... it helps to have toys sorted by focus area, such as fine motor skills development)
Regarding clothing... I wouldn't mind finding clothes that fit my son a bit better. I end up rolling up sleeves multiple times because if the sleeves fit, the shirt barely reaches his belly button (long torso, short arms).
See? There's a market for this stuff.
(but I agree about putting kids with disabilities in the "regular" toy catalog).
Jennie...that's cool about Target! I actually had a few people tell me about them since posting this.
If you ever come across any good example, please pass them on to me. I'd like to see them.
I actually agree with you on the toys and such. I like knowing what's good to help with certain developmental areas. I guess I'd rather see one catalog with maybe little icons to help know what area a certain toy works on.
All children, not just those with Down syndrome, can befit from knowing about different developmental areas, ya know?
By the way...you should get a Gravatar -----> http://en.gravatar.com/
You can see page 72 of the Nordstrom catalog online, too: http://global.syndeca.com/nordstrom/anniversary/2011/sale/?catalogid=anniv2011
and zoom in.
;-)
Life is good!
Pam, thanks! I also posted this in my post. It's the first link.
By the way, you should grab a Gravatar -----> http://en.gravatar.com/