The power of markers

Gender markers, that is. I’m continually fascinated by how folks read gender markers on Q. For example, this weekend, he was wearing jeans and a turquoise shirt (not too “loud” turquoise). He declared it “a blue day” — nothing about gender, just really about style. We were walking around our liberal town and he was [...]

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Gender Funneling Part II

I love reading pieces where folks take on normative conceptions of gender roles. Or how society tries to force folks into prescribed molds, even if it means stuffing a round peg in a square hole.
A wonderful example, here, on Rachel Maddow and how the mainstream media deals with their discomfort around her butchiness. The author, [...]

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Are you kidding me? Why?!?!?

Is this really necessary? I like this company usually, but please.
I usually like this company. They do some good stuff, but really.
Please.

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Limited Options/Gendered Options

I was recently perusing a catalog for a Scholastic book order. When I was a teacher, I gave them out half-heartedly. On the one hand, they enabled some students to get books at a very low cost, they encouraged reading, and they also helped me to build my classroom library. On the other hand, I [...]

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Considering Human Rights…Considering Boys and Girls

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights begins, “Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world…”
Just pause for a moment to consider this. The recognition of everyone’s dignity. Everyone has equal rights. And [...]

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A “sister post,” if you will

Angela, over at queerbabymaking, is creating a fabulous project about what it means to be a “girl.” Really from all perspectives.
I think it’s definitely a “sister post” in that it’s all about expanding our notions of gender and gender expression.
Check it out, submit your photos. Help this expansion of thought.
(And just for the record, when [...]

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Being an opening for others

Something I love about mothering Q and being openly supportive of who he is, how he differs from social norms, etc, is that I get to be an opening for others to share their similar experiences with me.
Friends who write about their sons playing with gender, wearing dresses, wanting to be girls, etc, to others [...]

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Sometimes it’s best to let others speak…

I could not have captured these sentiments better myself.
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2193119.htm
Eloquent. Insightful.

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If I say “beetle,” all you see are beetles

Of the car variety, that is. Have you ever noticed that phenomenon? Someone mentions they love VW beetles, and suddenly you see them all over? Or you see a witty bumper sticker for the first time, and the next thing you know, it seems that everyone at Whole Foods is sporting the same sticker? Well, [...]

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Both/And

We’ve been in the midst of moving, hence the absence of posts in the last few days.
But, I wanted to come on to address an issue that came up in a comment, and that I’m sure might swirl around out there, if not now, at some point.
A reader wrote, “Have you ever thought that you [...]

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