Sunday, March 12, 2006

rat f*ckers

60 Minutes had an interesting segment tonight about research that suggests that there is a physiological justification for homosexuality. While the scene of the lab rat taking it up the ass repeatedly is a bit much (including the stunned facial expression - if rats can have stunned facial expressions, this one had one), the hero of the story is 9 year old Adam, who apparently has "extreme gender nonconformity". Adam wears pretty nail polish, has a lovely pink canopy on his bed and he thinks he was meant to be a girl. In the room next door, his twin brother Jared is also playing with dolls, but his come armed with Uzis.

Adam is sweet and, perhaps I am putting a little too much weight on his shoulders, but he's also a really hopeful sign about how fabulous the world could be if we just gave kids -- and big people -- the space to be who they are and to be proud of who they are. While his dad doesn't show up in the story, Adam's mom seems committed to doing just that -- giving Adam his space. Someone had to give the thumbs up to his decorating choices. Someone had to buy him that nail polish.

Here's how Adam sees it:

"I was supposed to be a girl in my mom's stomach. But my mom wished for all boys. So, I turned into a boy," Adam explained.

Asked if he wished he was a girl, Adam nodded.

"Do you think there was anything that you could have done that would have changed Adam?" Stahl asked Adam and Jared's mom Danielle.

"I could have changed Adam on the outside to where he would have showed me the macho boy that I would want as a boy. But that would not change who he is inside. And I think that would have damaged him a lot more," she said.

Stahl asked both boys if they are proud of the way they are, and both boys gave her big nods.

"Yup," Adam replied.

P.S. Dan pointed out to me that this post, well, had no point. I think I wrote it when I was falling asleep. Unfortunately, now I am trying to fix it, but I am falling asleep again.

What the h*ll was my point? Oh yeah, disturbing images of rats being raped anally, countered by somewhat endearing conversation with a little boy who is more well-adjusted than I'll ever be.

Go to sleep, abf.

Going to sleep.

No comments: