They, She, He easy as ABC- Matthew Sg and Maya Christina Gonzalez
Maya and Matthew's children's book They, She, He: Easy as ABC is a wonderful resource since it presents gender diversity to young readers in an approachable and developmentally appropriate manner. The book fosters an inclusive knowledge of identity from a young age by guiding youngsters through many names, pronouns, and ways that people might identify themselves using the alphabet format. The book normalizes a range of gender expressions and teaches kids that using pronouns is a sign of respect for everyone by showcasing varied identities alongside amiable illustrations. As children come into contact with people who have varied identities and experiences, the book also helps them understand that pronouns aren't just the conventional "he" and "she" categories.
As an educator, I think it is so important to discuss and have open arms gender and sexuality discussion. When I was in middle school, we learned about sexuality and gender, and how everyone is different, and everyone has the right to love who they love. Many students did not get this experience and were uneducated on this topic. In my school we had assemblies about inclusion, and read books about how to include and how to understand love. This was extremely successful for my class as we all learned so much about each other and I learned what it meant to be an ally and how to make sure I showed that I care. When I am a teacher I want to make the students aware that my classroom is a safe space, and I want them to know that when they feel as if nobody accepts them that I do. This is so important to introduce at a young age, like this book does. I believe that the younger we introduce, the more accepting and understanding the younger students will be making a more safe space for the students in the lgbtq+ community.
I love that you added your experience with school and being taught about sexuality. The content has definitely become more thorough in the last few years but the conversations are so important to have.
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