My Son the Drag Queen

The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour.--Japanese proverb

According to this quote, my youngest child, 4 year old Chase, will have the reputation of being a cross dresser. 

I’ve come to terms with the fact that he wears an inside out, light blue satin dress when he watches TV.  H wears it over his regular clothes so he hasn’t totally gone to the other side.

I’ve enrolled him in dance class because he wanted to so badly. He loves it and practices constantly at home. He hops and skips and twists around the house while calling out “Watch this, Mommy! I’m hopping!” He stretches as he recites ‘I’m as T-T-Tall as a T-T-Tree’. He asks every morning if it is the day to ‘go dancing’. 

I’m taking solace in the fact that since he began preschool he has worn gender appropriate clothing. He chooses out jeans and shirts with sports themes with no problem each Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It is only in his free time he resorts to wearing dresses.

So I’ve been thinking lately about how we raise our boys and girls differently. My girls wear jeans and I don’t worry that they will grow up and be construction workers. So what if they did? But I guess it’s a little different if your son wears dresses. What if he grows up to be a dancer in Vegas? That won’t be easy to explain to friends and family.

Beginning this week, Chase has added an adornment to his ensemble. He showed up at the table to eat lunch on Monday with an earring. Granted, boys with earrings are not uncommon these days but this particular earring was a bit unusual.

Picture this if you will. A smallish boy with beautiful tan skin, shiny dark hair and big brown eyes that are full of mischief, as a rule. This day he is blasé as he climbs up in his chair and inspects his sandwich. I catch a glint of something that appears to be jewelry and do a double take. 

They boy is wearing a costume jewelry pearl and rhinestone clip on earring the size of a quarter! Apparently he could only find one. When I inquire about his new jewel, he proudly announces he is wearing an ‘eeing’, like me. He says, “Mom, you like my eeing?” I tell him it’s lovely and he beams with satisfaction.

Today as we are getting out of the truck at school Chase asks me to help him put on his earring. He hands me the trinket and I look at it in my hand. Why does my rough and tumble little guy want to wear this big earring? Does it really matter? He’s 4. I clip on his jewel and off he runs!

This Halloween we’ll have Jasmine the Disney Princess, Spiderman and a fireman, possibly in drag. 

copyright 2004 Jill Jacks-Tate