Kayla&LaurenM

@http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,998007-1,00.html

This article covers the story of a six year old boy who wants to be a girl. The article says that Zachary had always been inclined towards feminine things such as dresses and feminine things. His parents decided to allow Zachary to think of himself as a girl and to change his name to Aurora, but after his parents informed his school of the name change, child services received an anonymous complaint which eventually led to Zachary/Aurora’s removal to a foster home.

Lauren's Response: When I read this article, I felt sad for Aurora/Zachary. Under all of the political and social questions raised by this child’s gender, he’s just a kid. I think that Aurora/Zachary’s parents were not wrong in allowing their child to express himself and be true to himself rather than making him feel ashamed or embarrassed for something that he could not control. While some of the circumstances in their home may have warranted the child’s removal from his parents’ custody, I find it sad that the original cause of suspicions surrounding the family sprang from Aurora/Zachary’s name change. I think that people should be more supportive of the child’s decision, and I disapprove of how the foster parents hid his dresses and refused to call him Aurora.

Kayla's Response: This article is so controversial because it deals with the fact that society does not embrace transgendered people. Some county officials have protested that the family be ripped apart and the child to live with foster parents where they hid dresses and called him Zachary. This will just create more resentment and opposition from the child: runaways or “damaged for life”. They also talk about proper medication for the child. I think that this is insane how they are trying to administer some kind of drug to cure a fantasy in which is not against the law. For the well being of the child and for the unity of an innocent family, I think that the child should be allowed to follow through with their wishes. If they want to change their social image, there’s a reason for that and if you wanted to do that, wouldn’t you want the choice rather than to be struck down by legal challengers? Also the name, Aurora straight from the Disney Princess, Sleeping Beauty definitely shows Disney’s impact on kids and how kids want to emulate that image.

1. Do you think that Aurora/Zachary’s parents were right in allowing him to change his name and tell people that he is a girl? 2. Do you think that it was right for Aurora/Zachary’s parents to expose their child to the media? 3. Did Zach’s/Aurora’s parents think that they would gain support with their child’s exposure to the media, and if not then why would they make the process so easy and why were they so open? 4. How do you feel about transgender people? Should they be allowed in society or not (since there are no current laws against them)?