Tranny Queer: Transgender Crayons
Questionable Crayons
Parents are outraged over Jazz Jennings’ book, I am Jazz, being read to kindergarten students. Jazz Jennings is a transgender teen writing about being whoever she is. The outrage continued when the teacher read another book to class, Red: A Crayon’s Story. In Red we find a blue crayon mistakenly labeled as red and therefore is suffering an identity crisis.
The parents are, of course, outraged because they are idiots. What if their children accept the idea of being something they feel like? What if this scandalous book about a confused crayon makes them question their identity? Children are after all very impressionable and it would be a shame if we gave them the impression that they could be what they feel like being. This is presented in the press as if children are not questioning their identity already.
I find it very interesting that parents throughout time complain that a book or a teacher may impress something else upon their child. The complaint mainly being: “I am their parent and I will be the one to impress upon them exactly how they are going to be!”
Gentle readers, we once again find ourselves in the midst of another TGForum column by The Artist D where I ponder how we have ended up living in the 21st century as if it is the Dark Ages. Parents are still treating their children like the family dog. They made it. They get to dress it. They get to manipulate it. That child will wear the clothes the parent wants and the child will not alter their identity in any way which is in contrast to that parent’s belief system. I brought you into this world and I’ll be the one to take you out. Right?
It’s idiotic to me because all I see are people focusing on the non-important. The world is always looking at the crooked picture frame hanging on the wall instead of noticing that the building is on fire. They’re worried about their little boy wearing a dress. Instead of all that, why not worry about your little boy becoming a serial killer? Why not concern yourself with your girl being able to stand up in front of a group and give a clear-spoken speech? There are so many things that we could care about that matter, but instead the masses still concern themselves with the surface details.
In the modern age we are still worried what will happen if we cut and dye our hair a certain way which will be antithetical to the society. All of that time spent worrying about something that will grow out, could be shaved off, or colored over. Dressing the way you happen to feel or trying something with the way you look shouldn’t be anyone’s concern. Even if you’re a kindergartner reading about a depressed crayon.
They’re so worried about their children getting the wrong impression. Don’t they mean the impression that the parent feels is wrong? Hasn’t it been proven that children are the least confused or judgmental about these things until they are taught to be?
I remember my concerned family constantly chastising me in a hushed voice, “You can’t do that.” Why not? They never had an answer outside of “just because” or “you’ll embarrass yourself.” And shouldn’t my personal embarrassment be my concern?
I’m pretty sure I would have welcomed a book about a confused crayon being read to my kindergarten class. I’m sure at that time I would have also welcomed learning about Jazz Jennings. I actually think my parents would have been slightly relieved about that too. It would have made it more normal and their child less different. They may have thought that it wouldn’t have lead to my (and their) feared embarrassment.
This is not about putting your child on hormones or sending them in for sexual reassignment surgery before they are 18. I think it’s great that I had 18 years to figure out who I was without invasive measures. This is about reading books. This is about young children understanding that their identity is their own and they are allowed to formulate an opinion on that. Because they already do that from birth anyway, with or without your dumb parental opinion. Surprise!
We do not become tranny queers. We are tranny queers from birth.
To be continued . . . .
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Category: Transgender Body & Soul, Transgender Opinion
About the Author (Author Profile)
The Artist D is a true raconteur and provocateur! He has been performing online since the mid 1990s. A relic from the cam show age before MySpace was any space. Author of In Bed with Myself, an autobiographical tale of transgenderism and Internet celebrity. Executive Editor of Fourculture Magazine and host of the Kawfeehaus podcast.Subscribe
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