When my first son was born, my wife and I decided to let his hair grow until he was at least two years old. He had killer curls and we loved the idea of him being wild and free.
As his hair started to get some length, people would commonly say things like “you have a really beautiful daughter.” I noticed that when people thought he was a girl they would treat him differently to when they found out he was a boy.
I felt confused by these interactions. I felt weirdly uncomfortable about how often he was mistaken for a girl, while also feeling like it shouldn’t matter. He was a toddler. It’s crazy how early we want to lock in certain identity traits.
Take gender out of it - one of the biggest obstacles we all face is becoming comfortable being unique. Being who we are, without caring so much what other people want us to be.
I spoke with Grant Molony, an incredibly talented artist and photographer, and I really noticed how important it was for him, this idea of owning himself. It may not happen overnight, but I wonder if it’s a key part of this conversation.
Presented by the Central Coast Council and developed by Lead by Story
Host: Will Small
Co-Host: Hannah Gierhart
Editing: Sienna Aloisio
Music: Josh Corkill
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