Fun With Fans: A Happy Tale

I had a very positive experience at work today, and I wanted to share it with all of you. It made me feel good, and I hope it makes you feel good.

At the centre, we were making fans (because it was sooooo hot today). I showed the children some fan dances on my iPad (SFW obviously), and they decided to do their own fan dance. Heaps of the children dressed up in scarves and dresses and skirts, and spun and jumped around with their newly-made fans. It was wonderful, and I took plenty of photos.

Two of the children were Presumed Males (children with penises). One of them has a mother who works at the centre. She was in the room with me, helping the children make the fans.

I had a short conversation with her about her child. I commented that he was very dressy and loved all the skirts and dresses. She agreed, and said she wanted to get a pram for him (i.e. he wants one). I told her about the book My Princess Boy, and told her I would order one online for him.

She thought that would be a fabulous idea.

It is amazing how wonderful this makes me feel.

After hearing my children segregate themselves by assumed sex;
After arguing with children about what girls and boys can do;
After seeing my toddlers move from gender ambiguity in my room, to gender segregation in the kindy room;

After hearing again and again from other carers:
“Those sheets a pink, you can’t give them to a boy!”
“I try to give the boys blue and white, and the girls pink and yellow.”
“But boys and girls are different”;

After all that, to see a carer and a parent not only support her child’s love for dresses and dolls, but actively encourage it as well!

It gives me hope.

- Pharaoh Signing Off