It's You I Like

 I say this with the most frustration : If you can not, AT THE BARE MINIMUM, respect all family styles, do not work with children. 

My tuesday night classroom teacher loves to be a little "risky" in her book choices for class. What is interesting is, "risky" to her, is not risky to me. It is briefly covering a basic human right.. 

Tonight we read 'We Are Little Feminist : Families" by Little Feminist. The book provides representation of a multitude of LGBTQ+ families. After the book ended, we paused at the page of a pregnant trans man. Immediately.. the woman in my class said "Absolutely not, I would not show that in my class because that is so confusing, It looks like a man"  Oh wow! I would hope so, because... It is? She then continued to go on and on about how that was kind of too hard of a concept for her and to explain to children, and she just does not feel comfortable with it. Honestly, I don't think the concept was too hard for her to understand at all. I think she doesn't want to understand. She wants to choose to pretend it isn't right, and because it is wrong it can't be possible. . 

This is a woman responsible for nurturing our young minds, at their most impressionable age. Is that not an insane thought?! 

People have this insane idea that the concept of queer families is far too complex for a preschooler to comprehend. This is not the truth. Kids at that age are just learning, learning what you teach them. If you teach them that. a lesbian family is just like any other family, introduce them in the same way you'd show any other family, kids will see it as... any other family. It is not like these children are missing out on anything either. They still have a stable household, still have loving parents, still have toys and a community supporting them. So why is it so hard to understand? 

There are so many books, showing queer families on pages about going to the park, or reading books. The same way you'd show any other families. Yet, people will still convince you they are trying to influence and change your kids! God the gays are getting into our classrooms! They have always been there!! Always! Your closed mindedness convinced you that they weren't there, they "didn't exist when you were a kid" Queer people have always existed. Just because you weren't shown books about them, didn't mean they weren't there. Your favorite teacher growing up, might have been gay and you probably would've never even known! You are just scared at the fact that queer people are being acknowledge.. Your norm is being challenged in a way that makes you uncomfortable. 

Now let me ask you : What about the future queer children you will teach? If you are reading this, as an educator of any age, ask yourself this question. Your answer will tell you if this is really the career you should pursue. If you can not handle the concept of a little boy coming to school in a dress, purely because he likes it. get out of the classroom! If you are not ready to let a child explore all toys regardless of gender norms, GET OUT OF THE CLASSROOM! If you are teaching older age children, and can not be a safe space for every single child, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation.... GET OUT OF THE DAMN CLASSROOM! 

This should not be up for debate. If you are reading this, and find that you align with any of those types of ideals, please stop checking in on my blog. It is not for you, and I am not taking suggestions.

Like children for who they are, not who you think they should be. 

- See ya! ◡̈