Lindsey Lundberg: George

The book George by Alex Gino is about a boy named George who knows she is really a girl. George doesn’t see herself as a boy. When George looks in the mirror, she wishes she could wear her hair long. George looks at feminine magazines and wants to look like the girls in them. George’s class is doing the play Charlottes Web, and George really wants to be Charlotte. George thinks being Charlotte is the perfect opportunity to show the world who George is really meant to be, a girl. George practices her lines with her best friend Kelly. No one knows how George feels. She hides her true self, because George is scared to tell people she’s a girl.

I think this book is super necessary for parents who are struggling with their child’s gender identity. Even though the book is targeted towards children, I think it beautifully captures the emotions of a child struggling with gender identity. The book expresses how simple gender remarks, such as using boy or man, can make a child hurt and uncomfortable. Just because a child looks like a boy or a girl, doesn’t mean they identify with that gender. Making assumptions based on looks can be very harmful for that child.

I like how realistic this book is. Teachers have a huge impact on their students. I would hate to use the wrong gender pronouns for my students and make them feel incredibly uncomfortable. Children are suppose to feel safe in their classroom, and part of that stems from how the teacher talks to his or her students. If we assume gender identities in our classrooms, we’re not creating an open environment for children to feel safe to be who they are. I think it’s super important for children to be able to express and be who they truly are. They may not have the opportunity at home, so having school be a safe and free of judgement environment for them is crucial.