American Boy

So, the American Girl catalog came to our house today (as it does every year since Tess and Brynn were 5 or 6 years old). Robert saw it and put it in the recycling bin, but in a fit of wanting to make sure we had gender equity and non-sex-segregated toys in our home I pulled it out of the bin and gave it to Grayson, saying, “Look…you got a catalog today! It has some ideas for what Santa might bring you…”

Grayson was excited! He got mail!

And then he sat on the floor and started looking through it. “Ummm, Mama,” he said, “Ummm…where is the boy department in this book?” I explained that boys and girls could have dolls…and then I leafed through and folded down the boy doll pictures. I explained that boys and girls can both like dolls, that there was nothing wrong with it, and that there were boy dolls too! Grayson looked carefully, pausing at some pages, and then he put the catalog down and said, “Mama, I just don’t think dolls are my thing.” And then he paused and said, “Okay?”

Of course, of course, my sweet. Thank you for humoring your feminist mommy…

“Now what do you want to get for Christmas, Grayson?” I asked…He pointed to some wrapped presents on the cover of the American Girls doll catalog. “I think I’d like something wrapped up like that with something in it I would like.”

“What would that be?” I asked…

“Ummm…Mama, I don’t know…but probably not a doll. Remember, just remember, Mom. I’m not a doll kind of person.”

Gotcha.

And then three hours passed…and I was moving the catalog to the recycling bin myself. And Grayson said, “Mama, let’s just keep this here right now. It’s still really cool…” Then he hid it carefully behind the pink chair in our parlor. Into his secret hiding place. He said, “Now it’s safe. Now it won’t be thrown away…and also, Mommy, here’s a magic wand to play with. And I think I’ll start calling you ‘Your Majesty.’”

And, to think I worried that he wouldn’t be a feminist.

Sincerely,
Her Royal Highness of the Recycling