Vanessa and Anne
For my part, at about 4 years, I wanted to play with the girls. I didn't like boys.
I knew my body was wrong. I knew I didn't look like the girls and my clothes were different.
I had no idea of sex, or the details of girls anatomy. I thought breasts were a single lump, a shelf for babies and that girls peed out of their bottoms, because I once saw my older sister sitting down.
I should also say that, at the time, late 50s, I was not permitted to play with the girls.
Now we could annalyse all sorts of things here, depending upon which point we postualte was the start.
We could say that I was just a small boy, lacking decent male role models, lacking self confidence, who sought out the company of girls because they are easier than boys. I then progressed to their clothes and their physical appearance, partly for the same reason, partly as an early stage of physical attraction. Children frequenctly seek to emulate what they admire.
Or we could say that I have female instincts. That I was drawn to girls because of these and something innate inside of me, found my male body distasteful and out of place.
Or anything in between.
To the first point. Seeking out girls since they are easier than boys. Does that mean girls really are weak, inadequate, lesser?
To the second point, the notion of female instincts is, at best, questionable, at worst, specious.
For my part, I prefer to take the position of self expression. Anyone who has ever dealt with young children, even babies under a year old, will know that personal preferences and opinions occur very early. I can't see why anyone shouldn't be permitted to express themselves as they choose. Is there any reason why a little girl can't wear jeans and play sports? Is there any reason why a little boy can't wear a pretty dress and play with dolls?
What, exactly, is the purpose of the gender demarcation, especially in children?
Some people, men, might argue that boys need to be taught to be tough at an early age. Now setting aside the internationally recognised criminal nature of what I'd like to do with these child bullying scum, the claim has no actual basis in fact or experience.
One obvious piece of evidence for this is that many young boys have been raised with brothers, each in an identical way. Subjected to the same nurtring and love, or abuse and neglect. There are ample examples of one boy turning out to be a raging queer with efiminate tendencies while the others develop generally normal hetrosexual realtionships that would raise the blood pressure of most passing femininsts.
So, my own position for what it's worth, is, I don't need to justify anything. I try to live a decent law abiding life. I pay my taxes. I do what I can to contribute to my society.
I see no reason why I or anyone else, cannot exprss myself according to personal preferences
