ABC Pride book from Dorling Kindersley, for young children

^FN I am a teacher and I do teach children that they can be and do anything, regardless of being a girl or a boy.
I have been doing that for a long time now, but some people still persist in bringing gender into it by saying for example, how wonderful it is that Sophie has an apprenticeship at BAE .

I’d also like to know how teaching children that they can do anything fits in with the idea of a gender identity that doesn't match their sex and which means they should identify as the opposite sex?

Franbern what caused you to believe that the children meant they actually were the opposite sex?
In what way were they different from children who didn't fit into the boring old stereotypes but were not 'trans'?

You never heard of Biff Chip and Kipper?

Actually, no, but I've now educated myself in google school.

Are you a teacher VS?
If so, do you teach children that they can be and do anything, regardless of being a girl or a boy?

If you do, how does that fit with the idea of a gender identity that doesn't match their sex and which means they should identify as the opposite sex?

Think this is a great idea. Thanks goodness we are moving on from Janet and Peter. The latter helping Daddy clean thcar, whilst the former (always in a skirt), helping Mummy make cakes in the kitchen . All in them living in that lovely semi-detached house with garden back and front.

Years ago, when I was fostering young children I had a hard job to find books that had black children and adults in them, or even dolls of that colour.

Children live in a large variety of families, Mummy and Mummy, Daddy and Daddy, etc. It is good for those to be able to have books with which to identify and also for all children to accept the normality of different types of families.

I would also take issue with those who (without any knowledge) say that 3 or 4 years of age is too young to understand the concept of gender, etc. Even in my very limited experience I have known at least three children whoa s young as two have stated that they were actually a different gender to the one that was listed on their birth certificates.

Sorry do not think it is children that cannot understand or accept these things, it is far too many older people, far to set in their ways, and refusing to understand.

as!

Thank goodness education doesn't agree with this.

Schools do far more than teach maths science and English.

We look after children socially and emotionally too.

This includes learning about different cultures, religions and of course different sexualities and genders.

Unfortunately there are many children who would grow up terrified to be themselves if the only education they received on these matters was at home due to the views held within.

Children deserve to grow into their authentic happy selves. This happens at a different pace for each individual.

They deserve to know there are many who will love and accept them as they are.

Always

/thread

That’s a really strange idea. The age at which children usually get ABC books begs the question, is this book is age-appropriate for that age group?. In addition, ABC books for young children should at least have lower case letters as well as upper case letters.
As a suggestion for the library for older children, e.g. upper KS2 where the children would use it more like a dictionary it has possibilities, but I’d prefer to see elements used in stories as I think has been mentioned. e.g. Stories like My Two Moms and Me.
I’m sure some authors are desperate to write stories about why a non binary parent looks like a man underneath but likes to be called a woman on Tuesdays and Thursdays and possibly other days depending on how the parent feels on that day, or write a story to explain how Mummy and Daddy both want to be called Mummy.

Maybe families with gay or trans family members may find the book useful though.

I agree with several posts

Today 14:12 Doodledog

I think this is a tricky area.

On one hand I don't like the idea of children being told that men can become women, and encouraged to believe that so-called 'gender' is assigned at birth, as IMO both of those things are lies.

Today 14:45 FarNorth

It's focusing on adult lives, not children's.

A child's idea of love is loving their mummy or their friend at playgroup; it doesn't involve 'falling in love'.

Today 14:51 FarNorth

A child doesn't need to come 'out' by telling people their gender or who they love.

A child of primary age isn't LGBTQ whatever adults say, and should have pride in themself whatever characteristics they have

Shelflife

Shouldn't be necessary to have books, we don't have books for children explaining heterosexual relationships. If there is a gay uncle or aunt in the family any small children in that family will simply take the relationship on board! I appreciate it may be more difficult with trans people - but I suspect not. Roll on the day when people do not have to 'come out ' ad a heterosexual I didn't have to come out !!!!

I don't think that adult relationships should be explained to three year old children (by books or by teachers), but I can't see the harm in having books in which children can see their own family circumstances represented.. There are books with two dads (or mums) and I don't think it's a bad thing to have them with children of trans parents.

As I said in my post above, though, that should simply be the backdrop of the story, not the story itself.

We don't have books explaining heterosexual relationships?

That's literally every book ever

You never heard of Biff Chip and Kipper?

I agree with both of your posts FarNorth.

Well I've learned something from that book as had never come across xe/xem used instead of he/she/ them.
Wouldn't get it for my 3 year old gc though - she prefers her ABC book that her scientist Daddy bought which starts A is for Astrophysics (or something similar! )

Shouldn't be necessary to have books, we don't have books for children explaining heterosexual relationships. If there is a gay uncle or aunt in the family any small children in that family will simply take the relationship on board! I appreciate it may be more difficult with trans people - but I suspect not. Roll on the day when people do not have to 'come out ' ad a heterosexual I didn't have to come out !!!!

A child doesn't need to come 'out' by telling people their gender or who they love.
A child of primary age isn't LGBTQ whatever adults say, and should have pride in themself whatever characteristics they have.

Having a 5 year old GC myself, I cannot imagine him showing the slightest bit of interest in pronouns, being "out" or why people wear wigs. At that age, they're more interested in building dens and reading about dinosaurs. Maybe families with gay or trans family members may find the book useful though.

Children are much more intelligent and perceptive than people give them credit for.

If a 4 year old can come into class and repeat things they hear at home, and I will give examples I have heard at school:

"Girls can't play football"

"Boys shouldn't marry boys"

"You will have to go home after Brexit"

And I can educate those children in age appropriate ways that those things aren't true....

Then what on earth is the problem with a book that does just that?

Let children be children?

Yes, let children be educated, compassionate, kind, principled, accepting, open minded... the list goes on

It's focusing on adult lives, not children's.

A child's idea of love is loving their mummy or their friend at playgroup; it doesn't involve 'falling in love'.

Aveline

I'm surprised at Dorling Kindersley. I wouldn't have thought there would be a big market for this book.

I'm not, really.

They were quite good at listing books with mums who worked whilst dad stayed at home, and similar 'radical' situations when mine were little. They did it in a matter of fact way, though - it would be part of the story, not the story itself, whereas this one seems to have more of an agenda.

I agree that the market in families may be small, but school libraries might stock it if the school has 'been Stonewalled'.

I don’t like the juxtaposition of ‘sharing your favourite toy’ (kindness) and some of the other concepts.
The book seems a bit random and amateurish.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202207/medium-895055-6af582e1-b0df-467c-9f3a-403f1eff4cd8.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202207/medium-389928-e5485cf3-ad0d-4145-9e53-d3bd0558898c.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202207/medium-645300-51f7e31f-05a9-42d8-8775-d719a8453b85.png

Here is some more

I'm surprised at Dorling Kindersley. I wouldn't have thought there would be a big market for this book.

I wouldn’t fancy explaining gender to a three year old.
I’d like to see more of the book, as the suitable age range doesn’t seem right.

I think this is a tricky area.

On one hand I don't like the idea of children being told that men can become women, and encouraged to believe that so-called 'gender' is assigned at birth, as IMO both of those things are lies.

But on the other, transpeople do have children, and those children need to see families like theirs in books and media, in the same way that people of colour, gay families and other minorities should be represented.

If the book sticks to biological facts rather than ideology I can't see a problem with it.

Oh for goodness sake, whatever happened to childhood.

Book Title: ABC PRIDE

Target Audience: 3-5-year-olds.

Author: Elly Barnes
Educate & Celebrate