Body positive book for toddlers!

No kantastic all lights don't have to be dimmed but why do disabilities have to be co opted to prove some kind of a point in relation to children who want to transition?

If the authors want to make the point about the sex we are born with is fixed but that other social constructs are flexible why not make that point on its own?

I'm not sure why sex and disability and race have to be compared with each other?

And to say that is a straw man is saying what about children with disabilities?

Can children, or adults with disabilities, not speak honestly about their bodies, their feelings about their bodies, their sadness or disappointment about their body just in case another child may or may not have gender dysphoria?

Is it really the case that all matches, all heat, all warmth, all light everywhere must be banned - that indeed, the very Sun itself must be blacked out and dimmed - in order that all these strawmen not catch fire?

But I think the focus of Transgender Trend in publishing this book was to try to the stem the trend of socially and medically transitioning children whilst they are still discovering who they are - let kids have the space to explore themselves and their sexuality, most importantly find their identity.

I asked this earlier though and it was refuted. If that's what it's about why can't people be honest about it?

The author has as her Twitter banner an image of a child in a wheelchair taking part in a tug of war. I have already described this image.

Ok? I'm not disputing that children with disabilities take part in sport.

My original point was that it's understandable that children with a disability may not feel positive about their body, they might not love it, particularly when it affects what they can and cannot do in their life. Why must we have to deny our reality in order to counter the trans issues being raised in schools? Can children, or adults with disabilities, not speak honestly about their bodies, their feelings about their bodies, their sadness or disappointment about their body just in case another child may or may not have gender dysphoria?

@drspouse which example is this? Sorry - Mumsnet app is not playing nicely

It's probably more about free expression and freedom to like and dislike different things. That clothes are the costume of your body, not actually you. Whereas today's children are brought up to think that their clothes and style matter more than them. It shows how interchangeable this is. And that bodies come in different

This this this 💕

We have posted an example. The author has as her Twitter banner an image of a child in a wheelchair taking part in a tug of war. I have already described this image.

Weebarra - I think I understand.

But I think the focus of Transgender Trend in publishing this book was to try to the stem the trend of socially and medically transitioning children whilst they are still discovering who they are - let kids have the space to explore themselves and their sexuality, most importantly find their identity.

And by identity I mean who they are, what they like, what they're good at doing, what hobbies they enjoy, what they want to read, do they like cats or dogs or horses or none, do they like girls or boys, do they prefer (if a girl) wearing their hair long or short. Do they like grime or do they like indie music.
Before throwing puberty "blockers" at them, castrating, providing hysterectomies, mastectomies at them because they haven't worked out what they "are" yet and life is so awful and confusing for children growing up right now.

I can see how this book might not be quite right for your children though - and you must find all of these conversations quite depressing.
Perhaps Rachel and Jessica may be able to write something for you and others in your situation 💐

Uncompromisingwoman

So why couldn't someone, when I first asked the question, in fact even now just post an example of how disability is dealt with in the book?

If it's so lovely and so positive what's wrong with giving an example?

The feelings of children with disabilities towards their bodies are very complex. Their bodies are different and special but also cause them pain and let them down.

Thank you. Precisely what I've been trying to say. I don't think those feelings can be waived away with a simple "love your body".

I presumed Hooves must actually like this book as she has been determined to keep this thread at the top of the board.

There is a whole realm of other issues this book doesn’t adequately cover that we could now go on to discuss to keep the thread at the top to promote this book: Brexit, religion, how to undermine democracy through backroom lobbying...

I bought it straight from transgender trend, and will buy a couple more copies for friends.

Sure, it's complex. And luckily, most pre-schoolers have parents or carers who can attend to their picture book needs and provide them with a range of books that entertain and that help them come to terms with their own experiences.

So long as people with objections to 'this' book, are also objecting to all children's books positive about children's bodies, that don't adequately deal with the complexity of disability and disease in 'other' books, then all is well.

It's also fricking complex when your teen wants to cut their penis off. I encourage all parents of pre-schoolers to start sending their children the message that this book endorses - one body(self), no other body(self), bodies (selves) can be appreciated, used, respected, even when the body (self) is difficult, because one body, no other body, and all else is fantasy.

A bit of a shame to derail yet another thread based on your assumptions about a book that you haven't read Hooves ?

It's a lovely heartwarming book and any parent can safely read it with their children. Well done Transgender Trend.

I do kind of understand where hooves is coming from. I'm a GC feminist who has bought this book, but I'm also the mother of children with disabilities.
The feelings of children with disabilities towards their bodies are very complex. Their bodies are different and special but also cause them pain and let them down.
No one is saying that children with disabilities shouldn't be included in this book but as I said it's complex.

Being told that your body is just right as it is whilst in hospital having surgeries to change your body - that's a bit if a head fuck isn't it? If my body was just right as it was why did I need big surgeries to change it

This is clearly not the book for you or your daughter. Nobody is forcing it on anyone, or on you. There is a whole world of books out there.......

This book should be clear about what it's addressing. If it's that gender doesn't, or at least shouldn't exist and that boys and girls can wear and do exactly what they want, then keep it at that

You clearly don't have much experience with children's books or literature is all I can say.

Just because this book is giving an opposing view to other books it doesn't make it right, in my opinion

Do you have children yourself? If so, what sorts of stories and narratives do you read with them? This, in my view, is a perfectly natural and straightforward positive narrative for toddlers - of the sort that most parents/grandparents seek out and like.

I am sorry but I don't understand. Its published by a group who deal with trans issues and yet apparently the book is nothing to do with trans issues so, no, I don't understand. If you do, why can't you explain it

Yes, the book provides a positive, healthy, natural counter narrative to the damaging trans ideology that is being pushed on our children. And?

My body will never heal, it will only get worse. The medications cause other problems, cause side effects that necessitate more treatment, put me at risk of life threatening infection etc

I have genuine empathy and sympathy for your situation - but that doesn't take away from the point and purpose of the book.

Why would a toddler need to be 'body positive

You seem fond of posing questions, but not on providing responses or answers?

Why would a toddler need to be 'body positive

Do you have a toddler?

Young children are over-exposed to adult fears, phobias and hang-ups about the body: about how they are supposed to look; about what it means to be a boy or a girl - and all that goes with that. My four year old granddaughter is already talking about 'fat tummies'...and has already absorbed Disney type imagery about how a 'princess' is supposed to move and hold herself.

Give over, Hooves.

You don't like the book you haven't read. OK. Why don't you go and tell the local school library or the local library not to buy this book you don't like that you haven't read, and stop going on about it here ? You could even continue to not read the book, not like the book, and tell your friends you don't like the book you haven't read. If you have a Twitter a/c or other social media, you can post about the book you haven't read that you don't like.

It's a free bloody world, and people can like or dislike any book at all! But going on and on and on, when people (like me) have spent some considerable time listening to you and genuinely trying to answer your trauma/health related question - well, it's just taking the piss, isn't it ?

We get it. You don't like the book. OK. Nobody said you had to like it, read it, promote it. It's not the 'danger' to children you've decided on the evidence of nothing that it is, so just chalk it up to 'I don't like books by T**Fs' and move on.

I will say, that everytime someone, in future, objects to a book they haven't read, I'm going to order it for the local bookshop. Every single time.

I have a few copies of this and it is a gorgeous book. No messages in it that any good Mum would not want to share with their child - in fact it only teaches their child to love their body! I gave a copy to my teen child to give to her sister, we read it together and the one phrase that struck out for her was "sometimes we're gentle, sometimes we're tough. Yes, EVERY body can do all this stuff."
Rachel and Jessica I hope this get to you but your book really resonated with my teenager daughter 💐

I can't give an opinion of it as I haven't seen the contents, though I am pretty sure there is nothing in it that is hateful, anti-trans etc in it.

Without reading it how can you be sure?

If there's a copy in the library I'll have a look. Why should I pay money for a book that I suspect I won't agree with?

I doubt public libraries would be keen to add to transgender trend's coffers.

I'm sorry, do you think that the only children likely to fall victim to the "your body is the wrong sex for your personality, let's butcher it" cult are white with no disabilities? Should all the dozens of illustrations only have depicted white, able-bodied children? Why on earth would you think that?

Whatever gave you that idea? Does the book only deal with issue of sex/gender then and includes pictures of children, some of whom aren't white, some of whom aren't able bodied to show that boys and girls come in all shapes and sizes and with different backgrounds but are all still either male or female? Or is it dealing with disability and race as examples of other areas where children are different but should still love their bodies?

That's the view I've got from comments on here - that children with disabilities are encouraged to accept and love their bodies based on the disability, not their sex. Are you saying that isn't the case, that the book is just about sex and gender? If so, then that's completely different.

My beef is that I don't think we should glibly be telling children with disabilities that they should love their bodies without trying to understand the complex emotions that living with disability can bring.