To think that this book should not be sold to young girls?

[WandaWomblesaurus]

twitter.com/Waterstones/status/1623584986740953091?s=20&t=WU0D0fzc6ClGJC5R-gJnuw

Waterstones tweeted celebrating a book that is about transing girls. Here is one of the illustrations from the book.

AIBU to think that this is directly promoting self harm to young vulnerable girls?

Omg. That's so fucking disturbing

They're just demanding girls hate themselves!

That was made in 2006??!

That is quite grim. And the fact they describe 'gold at the end of the rainbow'...

Oh wow. That's horrific.

Why socks?

I guess it's meant to be from the point of view of a girl who is uncomfortable in her body. Which I understand more than a man putting on a dress and declaring himself female.

Jesus wept

That's disgusting. Waterstone should not be promoting this. The publisher shouldn't be publishing it. And the author should be re-educated.
Girls (and boys) should be encouraged to accept and rejoice in their own bodies, not to think they'd be better off in someone else's

That’s awful. “Imaginary Willy”?! Yes, girls, do make sure you feel inferior to males, always! And feel properly ashamed of your breasts and genitals!

Seems penis envy is the order of the day now. And for a brief moment in time we seemed to be getting towards a genuine sense of body positivity. Guess that’s not fashionable any more, but encouraging children to hate themselves and wish their bodies were different is, though.

That's grim ☹️

Waterstones didn't tweet celebrating this book. They tweeted announcing their young readers shortlist which includes this book. This book is on their older readers list, if you look at the website.

FFS. Puberty is traumatic enough as it is.

This sort of ‘literature’ is actively harmful if aimed at children.

I don't think it's encouraging self-loathing. Why shouldn't it be represented in fiction if some kids do feel that way about their bodies?

I read a load of Judy Blume books aged 11+ which I remember were quite explicit about all sorts of things from puberty, body image, sexual feeling, sex itself. I didn't automatically starting thinking in the same way as the characters in the book but it was good to have different perspectives on life.

This book may help kids to understand how their friends may be feeling.

It's self loathing, which is really sad. Some girls feel like this during puberty because they are worried or overwhelmed by the changes in their bodies and the new unwanted attention from males. There is too much focus on looks for young girls, and fitting into a stereotypes. If you aren't that stereotype then the woke world have to label it.

I agree. Especially given the high rate of autism amongst transmen. Obviously, the solution is not to encourage them to hate their bodies and tell them they can just be male instead but what is the solution?

"Fatty lumps that need be gone" give me the proper squicks. As if little girls don't have enough shit swirling around them breeding insecurities and self loathing, let's add "cut off your disgusting fatty lumps" to the mix. Jesus.

That’s not okay. I think it’s normal to be unsure of your emerging adult body. Doesn’t mean that you need to chop it off.

The other pictures on Twitter shows it's basically propaganda. It makes starting testosterone look like a risk-free procedure that simply makes people happy.

That’s a revolting message to young girls. It’s very very sad that a child would be encouraged to view her breasts as ‘fatty lumps that need to be be gone’.
Such inherent hatred of women.

when I was a kid if I had a chance to have my breasts removed I would have jumped at the chance. I hated the male attention. I can still remember the hot confusing shame I felt when I realised men were smirking at me looking at my breasts when I was 11.

I know what you are saying but Judy Blume wasn't advocating for girls to amputate body parts though?

I think YABU to want to censor books in this way. I have nort read the book so only have the illustration to go by so. Seems to me it's sharing the thoughts and feelings of a young girl and in particular how she feels about her body. It's not saying her breast need to be gone, it's saying the girl feels that way. I doubt very much this is a DIY transitioning manual, more an opportunity to empathise....maybe along the lines of Tracy Beaker.

YANBU. Other books such as those that styled as "progressive", the safe injection of heroin as an example, would not be sold. Because everyone knows you don't encourage children to harm themselves in that way so the book wouldn't be written to begin with.

But teenage girls navigating a 24/7 online, porn-soaked world during puberty? Girls who find that so frightening that they want to identify out of it? THAT'S progressive apparently. Self mutilation and harm when wrapped up in a co-opted and mangled rainbow flag, is minors "being their true selves". Celebrate it, bigot!

Despicable.

I think the date references the author's state of mind in 2006.

Jesus this is revolting. Teaching girls to hate their incredible, precious bodies even more.

Censoring?! It may have passed you by, but there’s many books and films etc we don’t sell to children, with very good reason. Or did you think children should have access to all adult material?