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Original poster

Babysitters' club Netflix

17 replies

Sunnydays41 · 12/09/2023 11:11

A warning for anyone with children likely to watch this - there's an episode in the first season with a young transgender girl.

It's got all the stereotypes - all 'her' old 'boy' clothes in dark navy, grey and green colours, her new pink sparkly princess clothes, the riteous preaching of how what she is on the inside doesn't match up with how she is on the outside, ("Imagine being left-handed and being asked to write with your right - it would feel wrong.") Even a scene when the transgender girl is in the hospital and the babysitter has to educate the doctors about what it means to be transgender ("Please can you find a gown that isn't blue!") 🤮

My seven-year-old has been enjoying this series and I was feeling nostalgic as I loved the books as a child. I can't believe this indoctrination is so full-on in a series aimed at children... She hasn't mentioned it, I don't know whether to ignore it or bring it up.

OP posts:
latenightpartyrings · 12/09/2023 18:02

My DD was watching that and I don't think I could eye roll enough. The bit in the hospital was particularly ridiculous.

Teamsaction · 12/09/2023 18:03

Thanks for heads-up up.

IWasFunBeforeMum · 12/09/2023 18:04

Is this based on the books? There wasn't a trans character? Perhaps a girl who was a tomboy, which was what we called ourselves in the 90s.

Original poster
Sunnydays41 · 12/09/2023 18:21

IWasFunBeforeMum · 12/09/2023 18:04

Is this based on the books? There wasn't a trans character? Perhaps a girl who was a tomboy, which was what we called ourselves in the 90s.

Yep, is based on the books, though obviously brought up to date with modern issues that they feel young people need educating on 🤨

The trans character was one of the children the babysitters were looking after.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sunnydays41 · 12/09/2023 18:23

It was awful, virtue-signalling on steroids.

OP posts:
Delphinium20 · 12/09/2023 18:23

That kid had a massive tantrum over having blue hospital gowns/blanket. The irony is no girl would care if her blanket was blue...

SapphireSeptember · 26/12/2023 18:56

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/parenting/a43702/transgender-child-kimberly-shappley/

The kid who plays that character is also trans. Sounds like his parents were scared of having a gender non conforming, possibly gay son. They punished him for wanting to do 'girly' things for goodness sake!

I Let My Daughter Transition at 4 Years Old — And Have Zero Regrets Today

As a Christian mom, Kimberly Shappley struggled for years with what was happening with her child.

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/parenting/a43702/transgender-child-kimberly-shappley

FionnulaTheCooler · 26/12/2023 18:59

Delphinium20 · 12/09/2023 18:23

That kid had a massive tantrum over having blue hospital gowns/blanket. The irony is no girl would care if her blanket was blue...

Every female character in the scene is actually wearing blue.

alittleprivacy · 26/12/2023 19:28

Delphinium20 · 12/09/2023 18:23

That kid had a massive tantrum over having blue hospital gowns/blanket. The irony is no girl would care if her blanket was blue...

Especially as Mary Anne was wearing a blue jumper in the scene.

IcakethereforeIam · 26/12/2023 21:10

That's the child who was beaten by his mum because she thought he was gay, when he was a toddler! He hit on being trans to make the hatred and the beatings stop and it's paid off in spades for the vile woman raising him.

elliejjtiny · 26/12/2023 22:29

What on earth?!?

I re read the books recently for a bit of nostalgia and thought a lot of it was very weird, with one book about an 11 year old expected to babysit for 7 children and one where the baby sitter thinks she knows more about how to look after an autistic child than their parents. Mind you the parents claim they have had their unborn child tested for autism so maybe the 13 year old babysitter knows more! I know it's of it's time, but really? I haven't seen the netflix series but it sounds to me that they had the chance to make it good and they blew it. Saying a transgender child can't have a blue blanket is ridiculous.

Delphinium20 · 27/12/2023 06:33

@FionnulaTheCooler @alittleprivacy great observation about the other females wearing blue! Wonder if the wardrobe employees on set were secret terfs;)

SilverBranchGoldenPears · 27/12/2023 06:45

I watched this with my daughter a few years ago and I just ignored it. My daughter was 8/9 at the time and my highlighting it would’ve done more harm than good.
We all should understand that the colour of things to someone in a fragile mental state about their gender as opposed to someone ‚of sound mind‘ may make a difference. That’s how affirmation works. Let’s no pretend it doesn’t.
It maybe the case that the wardrobe designers are subverting.
My biggest takeaway was that in all likelihood there is a young gay boy in this show whose body is in the process of being damaged and people are watching it. This was far worse than any colour or sexism irritations. Poor child.

Jifmicroliquid · 27/12/2023 06:48

The series itself was quite fun, but that episode was dreadful. The way Mary Anne had to speak to the doctors about not giving the kid a blue gown was pathetic.

InvisibleBuffy · 27/12/2023 09:38

The scene where the child rejects the blue gown is heartbreaking. Kai shrinks back in the bed and actually looks quite scared.
Then when you learn that the actor in real life was beaten and forced to pray on their 'knees for hours' in toddlerhood for not conforming to the 'right' gender stereotypes, suddenly that scene is completely horrifying.
No wonder the poor child is terrified of being viewed as a boy.
Netflix should remove it. That is a minor re-enacting the fear from real life abuse. It shouldn't be on Netflix for entertainment. Poor kid.

IdealHomeExhibition · 27/12/2023 12:46

It's an absolute joke. At least they pointed out this child is trans. I watched the Mayfair Witches and a trans woman is playing a woman - they don't mention it. Obviously you can spot it a mile off.

I cant wait until having trans in every tv show looks dated and is an embarrassment like watching old episides of Alf Garnet

SapphireSeptember · 28/12/2023 02:35

InvisibleBuffy · 27/12/2023 09:38

The scene where the child rejects the blue gown is heartbreaking. Kai shrinks back in the bed and actually looks quite scared.
Then when you learn that the actor in real life was beaten and forced to pray on their 'knees for hours' in toddlerhood for not conforming to the 'right' gender stereotypes, suddenly that scene is completely horrifying.
No wonder the poor child is terrified of being viewed as a boy.
Netflix should remove it. That is a minor re-enacting the fear from real life abuse. It shouldn't be on Netflix for entertainment. Poor kid.

I feel like doing a compare and contrast here. Kai's mum is very religious, so is my friend. My friend has a very tomboyish daughter (at the age of four she said she was a girl-boy) and she wears boy's clothes (she goes to church in a suit and tie, instead of dresses/skirts like the other girls her age.) My friend just lets her get on with it. She doesn't push her one way or the other. Her DD is 10 now and knows she's a girl, but she doesn't have to be girly. She's just herself.

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