said all the boys I teach.
I teach young children to write picture compositions, and sometimes, the image shows that the main character is a girl.
I always ask them to write as “I”, and somehow, when a girl appears as the main character, there is this roadblock amongst the boys. They protest as they don’t want to write as a girl. They don’t want to be seen as girly, and it’s as though being girly is a crime.
Once again, the patriarchy has done its work, even though I have told them that it’s easier to delve into your feelings and describe the facial expressions your main character has. We draw inspiration from ourselves, after all. Here is how one such conversation went:
Boy: I don’t want to write as a girl!
Me: Is there any problem with being a girl? Girls are everywhere! They exist! You came from your mum, who was once a girl.
Boy: But what do I say to some people in my school, who don’t want to write as a girl?
Me: Then tell them this. The very good writers can imagine themselves as different people, from old men to young ladies. When you come here, you learn how to be a skilled writer, and writing as someone of a different gender is just the beginning.
And don’t even get me started on how one child came in and saw a Thea Stilton book.
Boy 2: Thea Stilton is for girls!
Me: Who says? Books are for everyone!
Boy 2: But my classmates say Geronimo Stilton is for boys, and Thea is for girls!
Me: (to a girl classmate of his.) Girls exist, right?
She nods.
MeL They should appear in stories, too, right?
The boy nods.
Me: You can and should read a story about a girl, too! There’s nothing wrong with doing that. It’s great if you do that because it’s all about putting yourself in another person’s shoes.
I can’t remember what I said because this occurred some time back, but as I type this, I feel like I could have said more. I guess this is a battle, and if this comes up again, I’ll deal with it one step at a time.
The image of Thea Stilton and The Secret of Whale Island belongs to its creators.