A Halloween Story

[Trigger Warning for trans/homophobia]

A few days back Liss laid down an [TW: body policing] epic post about the way in which people police themselves and each other against the perception that they eat a culturally inappropriate amount of ground beef. Having a body (particularly a female body that eats food) is a good way to disappoint strangers.

Two of my favorite ways to disappoint strangers who should really mind their own business are being queer and having a child. Gender non-conformance (and/or transsexuality and/or GLBQ-ishness) will get you some lectures and stern looks. If you have a kid, you've also probably experienced other people's disappointment, ranging from your doing pregnancy wrong to 'your kid does/doesn't do what for a living'?!? If you've decided not to have a kid, you've probably been lectured on that, too.

Thus enters the story of Boo and Cop's Wife, currently making the rounds on the internet.

Cop's Wife's child, Boo, is 5. This Halloween, Boo dressed up as Daphne, from Scooby Doo. Lots of kids dress up as lots of things, right? However, since folks are assuming that Boo is Cop's Wife's son, it wasn't that straight-forward. :sigh:

Boo was scared. Cop's Wife was supportive. Therefore, other moms chose to lecture Cop's Wife. She was [TW: homo/transphobia, ableism] having none of it.

Maude bless parents who get it. Parenting is not easy, nor is gender non-conformance. A 5 year-old dressing as Daphne is a 5 year-old dressing as Daphne. (I would have gone for Velma, but it's none of my business either). As Boo's mother said, maybe Boo's gay, maybe not. What matters is that zie rocked the orange wig.

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