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A Terrible Tangerine Dress: A Costume Party that Jesus Wouldn't Approve Of

K

Kids play dress up. 

Is it that big of a deal?

A dad in my wealthy, suburban county (in a very red state) was up in ARMS because of this children's book, Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress. His issue with it was, and I quote, "it delves into the topic of gender identity, albeit softly cloaked in the concept of dress up."

We had a semi-productive conversation via Facebook messenger, and he tried to explain his viewpoint to me. I guess the book was read aloud in his kid's elementary school class. He hadn't had the chance to opt his kid out of hearing about a boy who liked to dress up in a tangerine dress and was bullied for it at school. Heavens to Betsy!

He took issue because of his Christian beliefs - as he told me: he believes that God has created each of us male and female, but the current secular worldview teaches that gender (and even biological sex) is now a construct.

I asked him how he would feel if his child wanted to do theatre or ballet. You know? Stage make-up and skin-tight-tights. He didn't see the similarity. (Did I say the conversation was productive? It really wasn't.)

He thought the root of the issue had to do with fundamental worldviews.

Fundamental is right. (Insert eye roll here.)

So, the author has pink hair, or did at one point. It might be purple now. Christine Baldacchino is a former early childhood educator. She is a champion of both self-expression and anti-bullying. 

The book was based on a boy she taught, who loved to play dress up in a shimmery gold dress, but wasn't allowed to wear it after his mom saw him in it. 

Jeez. Parent's can suck.

Book I Haven't Read Yet: Morris Mickelwhite and the Tangerine Dress by Christine Baldacchino 

Why I Haven't Read It: I keep meaning to thumb through it while I'm at the bookstore. (I should just buy it. I can suck, too.)

Should You Read It? Yes! Particularly if you have young kids, and you don't want them to grow up to partake in things like gender norms or toxic masculinity. 

Plus, it won the Stonewall Honor. I don't know what that is, but I'm about it look it up, and it sounds fancy.

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