Lifespan Spiritual Exploration: Mar. 31, 2019 -- Celebrating Transgender Day of Visibility

Sunday March 31, 2019

Today's focus: Celebrating Transgender Day of Visibility

Welcome: Welcome In song and chalice lighting

Introductions: Names and "Where would you like to journey to?"

Movement activity: Different ways to journey around the room (kids came up with ideas like flying, hopping, sliding, twirling, and more).

Discussion:

We followed up on the book Introducing Teddy. We talked about how it's important to dress and act how you want, and that being a good friend is the most important. (We talked about how some boys may like to wear nail polish or fancy jewelry or dresses, but still feel like a boy and they are not transgender.)

I introduced the terms gender and transgender. We did talk about how sometimes a boy might wear a skirt or dress and that doesn't necessarily mean they are transgender, just they like wearing dresses.

We talked about how some people don't feel like genders we usually hear talked about. If someone doesn't feel like a boy/man or girl/woman, or if they feel like BOTH genders, they may use they/them pronouns, or others like xe, xem, xeirs (x pronounced like a z). It's good to ask someone what pronouns they use, just to make sure. We talked about the pronoun stickers for name tags at church, at the Welcoming Congregations table.

Activities:

Gender stereotype sort: Kids had fun sorting a pile of toys, books, jewelry, clothes and other items into three piles... Boys, Girls, and Both (during the 11am I realized "All genders" would be more inclusive that 'Both' and changed it).

At the 9am, most kids agreed right away that nothing was JUST for boys or JUST for girls. They had good reasons for each item.

During the 11am the kids put many things in 'Both' but enjoyed sorting some things based on who USUALLY likes those things the most. They were clear that it was FINE if someone from a different gender wanted to dress in a princess dress and that you could step in if you heard a kid saying, "That's only for boys" or "That's only for girls" and mention that all toys, clothes, colors, and even make-up can be for anyone!

Two older kids during the 9am looked at the current restroom signage in the vestry and made a recommendation for a more gender inclusive sign. They made a display for coffee hour. We discussed this as a whole group during the 11am service (in the 9am we watched the dance portion of the service instead).

Continue the conversation at home:

Try a role play at home, of someone telling a kid that "boys can't be princesses", or "girls can't be firemen." What would be a kind way to help teach them?

What are some gender neutral words for: fireman (firefighter) mail man (mail courier), police man (police officer), stewardess (flight attendant), waitress (server)