GENDER, PRONOUNS, AND, EXPRESSION!

SPOTLIGHT: MAYA GONZALEZ

PRONOUNS: UNIVERSAL THEY

How do you identify? queer femme xicanx

Maya Gonzalez makes art, writes stories, publishes books, and created the Gender Wheel. In her small corner of San Francisco, she partners, parents and publishes with Matthew SG. Together with their kid, Sky, and their dog, Mz Vanjie, they play at the beach, read the sidewalks, and center queer/trans values as a family.

http://www.genderwheel.com/resources/
http://www.mayagonzalez.com/

SPOTLIGHT ORGANIZATION: REFLECTION PRESS

Maya and Matthew created Reflection Press, a POC queer/trans owned independent publisher of radical and revolutionary children’s books and works that expand cultural and spiritual awareness

OUR PRESS: https://reflectionpress.com/our-books/
FREE STUFF: https://reflectionpress.com/free-stuff/

A LETTER FROM MAYA…

Hola queer kids,

I was trying to write you a serious letter about important things, because I know you’re smart and cool, but all I could think about was playing outside. I can hear the birds chirping their heads off and when I look out the window I see them hopping all over our bird feeder.

I’ve been looking up animals for a book I’m working on and it looks like we’ve got some White Throated Sparrows out there. They seem common and you might not even notice them, but these birds have four genders.

I love going outside and realizing that there are queer/trans animals all around me! Birds, bugs, lizards, mice, snakes, raccoons! And that’s just what I’ve seen here in the city!

Ok, I better go out there and have a closer look. It’s a queer/trans world out there and I want to play in it!

... I’m baack. It was glorious, bright and sunny and extra queer. And it’s not just the birds.

I live in the Castro District in San Francisco. All along our sidewalks are big plaques about our ancestors. From Frida Kahlo, James Baldwin, Keith Haring, Bayard Rustin, Sally Ride to Chavela Vargas and Alvin Ailey... I can walk and walk and read their stories, see their faces. And not only that, Harvey Milk lived and worked here. I imagine walking where he walked as I read our stories.

This keeps me strong, makes me feel real. It connects me to our ancestors through my feet, in my heart and in my mind.

I’ve lived here a long time because of that. Join me for a minute! In my imagination I’m going to reach out my hand and grab onto yours. Let’s go look at the huge rainbow flag that whips through our skies just up the street and reminds us that we’re here! We’re queer! And we’re oh, so fab!

That’s why I created the Pronoun Kids that you get to meet in my books and card deck. I wanted kids to see how beautiful our queer/trans community is and how that beauty begins when we’re kids. We have a rich history and are a natural part of the whole world. The kids are based on real people I see every day in the world around me.

Well, I better get back to playing. I’ve got a lot of it to do today!

Play on darlings! And may you see queerness everywhere you go!

xomaya

VIDEOS!

RESOURCES!

• When Aidan Became a Brother, Kyle Lukoff

• Why was Aidan worried about the way people would treat his new baby? How could Aidan help his new sibling feel comfortable in their gender identity?

• They, He, She Easy as ABC, Maya Gonzalez

  • Which kids are doing your favorite dance moves? Which kids are using the same pronouns words as you?

• Playing With Pronouns Card Deck, Maya Gonzalez

  • Play one of the many games in this gender-inclusive card deck! Try sorting illustrated cards by clothing, hairstyle, and gender or tell a story with the kids pictured! How many different pronouns can you count in the deck?

• Trans and Nonbinary Kids’ Mix by Ants on a Log and Friends

  • What gender words and stories do you hear in the songs? How does your body feel while you listen? Which songs make you feel joy or euphoria?

CONVERSATION GUIDE!

• How are you expressing your gender today? What clothes, movements, body parts, and colors are you using to express your gender?

• We heard lots of gender words like nonbinary, transgender, girl, boy, cisgender, and more! What are your gender words today?

• What clothes, colors, activities, and other things make you feel gender euphoric (or really excited about your gender)? 

• Challenge your child to notice the pronouns words they hear in each book (they, he, she, xe, tree, and no pronouns are all examples of pronouns words you might hear). Practice asking each other, “what are your pronouns today?” Make this a regular check in! Frequently asking about pronouns opens space to share and connect as children grow into their changing identities!

• In her letter, Maya named lots of queer ancestors who make her feel strong, real, and connected. With your grown up, find out more about one of these powerful queer people. What can you learn about the queer ancestor you picked? How do you feel when you hear their stories?

ACTIVITIES!

• Help Teddy Express Their Gender! Gender Euphoria is the happiness you feel when you express your gender in a way that feels best for you! Help Teddy express their gender by drawing on some new clothes!

• Gender Explorers: Now that you’ve learned all of these gender words and pronoun words, can you find out more about the gender of the people around you? 

  • Materials: paper, pencil, clipboard (optional!)

  • Survey the people in your family, home, or community about their genders. Ask Teddy’s two questions:

    • What are your pronouns?

    • How do you identify?

  • Write down their answers, or ask a grown up to help you write. How long can you make your list? Can you ask more than 5 people? More than 10?

  • Reflect on your list. Which pronouns do you have the most? Do you notice any similarities or patterns between the pronouns and identities on the list?

• Gender Dance Party: Get ready to express some gender euphoria!

  • Remember a time you felt really excited or happy about your gender. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and imagine. What did your body feel like? What did you look like? What were you doing? How does your body feel when you remember that time?

  • Dress up in your most gender euphoric clothes for today, pick any clothes that make you feel special and excited about your gender expression.

  • Find or make a musical instrument - sticks, pots, and shakers are fun, easy options! Make a quick shaker by adding a handful of dry beans to an empty water bottle.

  • DANCE PARTY TIME!! Sing and play along with Lindz and Teddy in the Gender Song, then dance to the Trans and Nonbinary Kids’ Mix by Ants on a Log and Friends! You might even try some of the dance moves from “They, He, She Easy as ABC!” How does your body feel when you’re dancing in your special clothes?

VOCABULARY!

Pronoun(s): These are words that replace our names and express our gender. Some pronouns are she, he, they, and ze! 

Assigned gender: This is the gender the doctor assumed you were when you were born based on what your body looks like.

Transgender: Someone is transgender when they do not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. 

Cisgender: Someone is cisgender when they identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. 

Gender identity: This is about how you feel about your gender and what pronouns you use. 

Gender expression: This is how we present our gender with our clothes, hair, our glasses, and even our school supplies! 

Gender euphoria: The happiness you feel when you express your gender the way that feels best to you!