During the nine years Kitty Wolf spent working as a birthday party princess, one of her very favorite parties of all time was for a little Elsa-enamored boy. He dressed in his own Elsa gown, and was so excited to meet his hero. The two princesses even engaged in a lively cape battle. And while she loved seeing these free-spirited boys dressing up and pretending to their heart’s content, she also witnessed how often and easily gender stereotypes could slip and muddle the imaginations of kids just trying to have fun. When she overheard two little preschool girls tell their princess-loving boy classmate that “boys can’t be princesses” the idea for her photo project was sparked. She approached a few parents of boys she knew who loved all things princess, then put out a call to the wider world. She was inundated with applications, and the Boys Can Be Princesses, Too! Project was born. Over the last six months, Kitty, who is a professional photographer, has partnered with the Chicago-based children’s party company Princesscapades Princess Parties to photograph ten boys dressed in their favorite gowns with their beloved princesses. Her aim is to show support for kids and parents of kids that choose to play as princesses, no matter their gender. “Adults seem to make it a bigger deal than it is, reading into it more, ascribing different messages to it, whereas the kids are just about having fun, exploring their creativity and imagination, whatever that may mean for their future,” says Kitty. “Kids know nothing of gender stereotypes, they just know what they like. So, trying to see it from a simpler, or even a child’s perspective can be helpful. Some people’s minds will never change, but that’s ok. Society as a whole will change without them.”

Click through the slideshow below to see the enchanted images Kitty and her princess pals created, and to hear what some of the parents have to say about the experience. You can also click over and contribute to the project’s Go Fund Me, which will support additional shoots with more magical little kids around the world!