Whether your baby feminist is into reading, isn’t afraid to stand up for what she believes in, or is just plain funny, we have some great options for her. From a little girl’s first board book about feminism (a favorite among our team!) to a ginormous 500-piece puzzle, we’ve got something for everyone!

The Feminist Baby Gift that Does the Mister Omerta

Unlike traditional Estella feminist onesie showers, feminist showers are often organized by a close female friend or sister. The guest list of these showers is overwhelmingly female and usually includes relatively close friends, although women from a wider social circle may also be invited.

Empowering Your Little One: Feminist Baby Gifts That Promote Gender Equality

The most interesting aspect of these showers is the way they attempt to celebrate the transition to motherhood as a woman’s new role without being overly sexual or infantilizing. This can be seen in the “fun” games and a decorated “throne” that is prepared for the expectant mother-to-be, as well as the gifts that are opened ceremoniously.

They also seem to be trying to make the most of a new role that is becoming increasingly popular among women-that of professional motherhood-by providing gifts that are theologically appropriate and/or evocative of her new position as a mother. For example, at a shower held by an employee who was deciding to give up her professional life for maternity leave, she received theologically appropriate books and manuals for her new career as a mother.

While feminist showers are not a recent phenomenon, they seem to have grown out of a broader trend of more contemporary women who hold that the experiences and roles of men and women are quite different. In this sense, they could be considered the more modern of the three emerging forms of showers we have identified, albeit with some notable differences in their design and presentation.