...well, it is a dilemma for some. Amy, I was reading your post about shopping for bras (while doing a little bum dance listening to Lay Down Sally, thank you very much for the tunes) and I had to share my own story-- (and first I`ll apologize, what on earth did I do to mess up my formatingÉ seeÉ that is supposed to be a question mark) anyway...when I was about 17 I was very skinny and had short I repeat short dykey hair (I wasn't out but I knew what I liked!). My mom had sent a carpet in for cleaning and asked me to pick it up for her. I walked in and told the woman at the counter what I was there for (and now that I think of it it`s kinda funny that I was there looking for a rug). The woman walked to the back of the shop and yelled out `hey Merv! There`s a boy..a girl... I`m not sure... here for a rug`. I was so dumbfounded I didn`t know what to say. She came back to the counter and didn`t way another word... did she think I couldn`t hear herÉ
People`s concern over gender and sexuality never ceases to amaze me. I`ve decided that rather than doing an MA in Psychology (I finished my BA but I don`t know if that is what I would choose if I were to do it over again) I`m going to do an MA in Queer Theory under the Women`s Studies and Gender Studies umbrella. I have the support of the department, I just have to apply to Grad School. There isn`t a specific MA program in the dept, so I pretty much get to put together my own program. Woo hoo! Wish me luck with the application...
Well, it's the first question most people ask when they see a new baby. Almost as though they can't relate to a child unless they know their gender.
ReplyDeleteWhen I worked in ESL, we had a new family. No English at all. The intake worker had asked the family if the child entering our care was a boy or a girl. They said girl. The child had big brown eyes, a name no one could pronounce, beautiful dark curls, and wore pink outfits and shoes handed down from an older sister. He was a boy, as we discovered three days later when another colleague took him to the bathroom. The person who discovered it was totally embarrassed - as though we had made a horrible mistake. I thought it was amusing - but how were we supposed to know? He's a child, that's all that matters. And did we treat him any differently - no way!
If you need anyone to "interview" for any school project, put me at the top of your list!! LOL
ReplyDeletehttp://propaneamy.blogspot.com/2009/03/and-so-it-goes.html
You haven't been following me long so go check out that blog post.
Camlin-- fantastic story!
ReplyDeleteAmy-- Great post. If I need anything I will be sure to be in touch. Just a comment though, ok? (My '?' is working now, formatting resolved :) ) About your niece-- how could you be fucking things up? That's what amazes me. How could something like the idea that you are more comfortable as a boy than a girl be something so bad? I always say to people that I'm just not not that much of a girl. I hate shoes and shopping, I don't have many clothes, I wear mascara and that's about it, and I often look in the mirror and think that my features are quite mannish. So what? So I don't fit a stereotype... so I don't want to paint my nails. Big fucking deal. I am out because I refuse to apologize for an not fitting an idea of gender steeped in archaic, hegemonic thought. Nah nah nah boo boo. Celebrate who you are Amy, experiment with drag. Why not? Why WOULD you spend your life not liking your body? You have support from your crew. Hope to hear more from you.
I have had many instances where I have been mistaken for a guy and it doesn't bother me a bit. My cover breaks as soon as I talk of course but it is funny to see how long I can go till the person realizes I am a girl. We are who we are, and if it doesn't fit in their so called stereotypes, fuck em. :-)
ReplyDeleteI loooooove that picture. That is so funny and I can't believe your rug story, what an idot.
ReplyDeleteGood luck good luck good luck on the grad school app.. how exciting!