My son has a new hero. His name is Chad Alan.
(He’s not the late-80s teen heart throb Chad Allen who I had a massive crush on once upon a Our House with Brenda Walsh and the Oatmeal Man)
C.J.’s Chad Alan is a designer, artist, YouTuber and the founder of a movement called B.O.L.D. – which stands for Boys Openly Liking Dolls. Through B.O.L.D. and his YouTube channel, Chad encourages gender nonconforming kids to be bold, be themselves, stand up for what they believe in and bravely like what they want to like.
C.J. found Chad while we were searching YouTube for Monster High content (after he got tired of watching cake decorating videos, which I found made me the dangerous combination of bored and hungry). He hasn’t left Chad’s channel in more than two weeks.
Chad makes amazing beds and things for the Monster High Ghouls and other dolls. His videos and tutorials also feature pop music. – which C.J. sometimes dances around to in his room paying no attention to the video’s content. Chad and C.J. may be kindred spirits; Chad just doesn’t know it yet. When recently asked what he wants to be when he grows up, C.J. replied “Chad Alan.”
Well, one day last week while I was at work, C.J. and his dad followed Chad’s tutorial for making a stone bed for Rochelle Goyle.
When I got home from work, I was reminded – yet again – that Matt is an amazing father and husband. How many men would spend hours making a bed for their son’s doll? I mean, it even required a trip to the craft and fabric store.
With the fabric that Matt and C.J. purchased (based on Chad’s tutorial), I spent that evening and the following day sewing with C.J. We made the blanket and four pillows. C.J.’s favorite part of sewing is pushing the foot pedal. He especially likes it when I tell him to go slow and he pushes the pedal hard to make it go fast and then he says, “whoops, my foot slipped” with an impish grin.
C.J. has been having a rough few weeks at school because he is different and because he likes “girl things.” Chad Alan and his YouTube channel make C.J. feel like he fits in. Chad makes it cool to be B.O.L.D. And, that makes Chad pretty cool in my son’s eyes and mine. Matt thinks he’s pretty cool too, but wishes that he didn’t post a new bed tutorial almost daily. How are we supposed to keep up with that?
Raising My Rainbow 
Your story has given me the courage to allow my son to play with what the world views as girls toys. It’s tough though, all of the sudden he’s into My Little Pony, Monster High of which he’s been searching for a coffin bed. It’s so weird I came across your message at the perfect time. The fact thAt your son’s Dad made that bed for his doll quite remarkable if I may so myself. He would like that even better than just buying one because loves to make things. I would love to chat sometime if u r interested. I’m on Facebook my nAme is Patricia Bliven
We are the Ruby & Daddy Show. We also make videos on YouTube and we actually just got home from Bronycon with Chad Alan and RadioJH Audrey. Chad is a remarkable guy and such an amazing role model for kids and adults alike. He’s so kind, patient and friendly on and off camera. We love him and are so glad to see other people out there who appreciate him as much as we do!
I love to watch the Dude with Dolls (I also made some silly jokes about he being a vampire because his toy hunts are mostly by night), Mommy and Gracie (they have videos with Daddy, gosh these ladies are hilarious) and I recently found Chad (he rocks). I’m a 34 yo woman who fallen in love wth Monster High because, after being diagnosed with Asperger, OCD, Dislexia, Attention deficit… I feel like a weirdo so I can relate with the monsters pretty well.
Years ago, when they released these dolls, I thought “Ugh, just more dumb dolls, urgh, boring”. I had to actually interact with them and create horror stories to find out how amazing they are, now I LOVE Monster High (I can blame my friend Fiorella that gave me a Ghoulia for my birthday, and Neighthan Rot, he is the most adorable doll ever made).
Kisses from Perú!
I am 23 next week and am obsessed with Monster High, i just enjoy the stoylines of the webisodes and how they teach young girls and boys to be themselves and not to worry what others think.
I myself have 4 MH dolls and 5 dvds. And i also have a half customized Barbie, which i am currently tryin to find a fashionistas doll for the very poseable body,
I also like Chad Alan, Mommy and Gracie Show, Bin’s Toy Bin and TheDudeWithDolls youtube reviews
My son, Celt, creates amazing doll clothes. He hand sews them, and I just look at his creations in awe. This morning he told me that he watches a youtube by Chad Alan – his exact quote was, “I’m so glad Chad Alan showed me how to poof up a dress”. So, of course, I asked ‘who’s Chad Alan’? In looking him up, I also found your little article above. Thank you for sharing this. I had no idea Celt even had a youtube mentor.
I know this was so last year, but this just really touched my heart. Please tell CJ some random lady on the Web says she’s proud of him for being himself and that he’s awesome, and so are y’all.
I love dolls and Im a 13 year old boy. My channel on youtube is here http://www.youtube.se/dollsandstuff4444
I discovered him here. He is so brave and he is surely a rolemodel for other boys who like dolls.
Oh, and by browsing your blog, I saw that you got your son an American girl doll. Does he like it? How does he like it versus the small dolls, like Barbie and monster high? After he got that, does he play with it exclusively, so that the other dolls are forgotten? The AG dolls are 18″, so I feel like there can’t be too much cross-play between those and smaller Barbie-size dolls, so I feel like his play will be one or the other, not both.
(Just wondering, because my kid wants one but they’re sooooo expensive and I am trying to get other parents’ experiences of how worth it those big dolls are. Thanks!)
Discovered your blog today and I love it, learned so much. I was going to suggest Chad Alan, but I see you’ve found him yourself 🙂 I love his YouTube channel because I bought my daughter an Ever After High doll (you should look into those since your son likes monster high so much!) but the furniture for them are too expensive, and I wanted to find DIY tutorials. In came the fabulous chad Alan into my life! Anyway, huge kudos to you three for doing such an amazing job on the bed. My daughter would just die if she had your son as a best friend, haha!
Being B.O.L.D Is A Great Way To Live. It Does Show Not Only Girls Can Like Monster High Or Barbie. Really Your Never Too Old For Dolls And That’s That! It’s Sick When People Have To Make Fun Of Others Who Might Not Like What They Enjoy. Being A Leader Is So Much Better Then Bring A Follower! :O) -Andrea #B.O.L.D
That’s beautiful. Congratulations! And thanks for sharing this.
Awesome!! FYI, just in time for the holidays, I have a friend who makes custom dresses and sells custom Monster High dolls. Thought I’d share: http://www.etsy.com/shop/severitysilks
This blog makes me smile. The world needs more beautiful families like yours.
My son will love this – though I think I see lots more projects in my future. LOL! Thank you for sharing.
My 9 year old daughter (“transitioned” last year) watches these Monster High make-up tutorials on YouTube done my some tween who actually is quite talented at presenting it. I’ll have to turn her on to your site! On her Christmas list is every Monster High doll we do not have yet. She gets angry with me when I forget which doll is which!
I think C.J. is indeed a very lucky young man to have two amazing and enlightened parents. He is indeed blessed. Thank you Mom and Dad for being such wise ones and preparing C.J. for the world we live in.
GO B.O.L.D! I love it and my son will, too. Thank you, again.
Matt is an amazing dad! Bravo to all of you. The bed is awesome! Hope C.J. has a better time of it at school….so sorry to hear that he is having such a difficult time.
I think both Chad Allens are pretty cool. 🙂
I remember a little boy who made a bed for his He-Man “doll” twenty years ago – with pillow and sheets. He made a kitchen set also. Now he is father and helps his daughter and son to furnish their “dollhouses” 🙂
I am about 3/4 thru “Raising My Rainbow” and it’s such a great book and has many “laugh out loud” moments. When I read these posts now, I feel like I understand just so much better. You are paving the way for a better world for ALL our kids…..gender non-conforming, gay, straight, WHATEVER! 🙂
Christie D
You do know that the actor, Chad Allen, is gay ( http://dot429.com/articles/374 ) and came out in the mid ’90s when it wasn’t so easy. So now you have a reason to like both Chad Allens, perhaps they should meet. Anyway, its fabulous that their is a YouTube channel for boys who like dolls. For all its problems sometimes the internet is a wonderful thing!
Go Matt and and go Chad! Boys need more role models like those guys in their lives to help us break down the “big strong man” and “boys don’t play with dolls and cry” stigmas. We need men to love their sons no matter what and teach our children to be themselves 🙂
You are braver than me…. I would be soooooo tempted to ban that YouTube channel! Seriously? A new bed everyday? You are wonderful parents…..nicely done!
What an amazing bed…..the three of you did a great job on it. And what a great hero for C.J. to discover. God bless Chad Alan for being there for C.J. and all the other boys who like dolls.
I was struck again this week by how hard it must be to parent a gender creative kid when my five-year-old son (who has parents who have worked hard to avoid gender stereotypes and who is into pretty much anything from dolls to ninjas and knights) came to me crying because a girl made fun of him for liking the little teeny baby doll he got in his advent calendar. We had a long talk about how there is no such thing as “boy toys” and “girl toys,” that they are all just toys that anyone can like, but that many silly people think there are rules about who is supposed to like certain things. He was seriously ticked when he found out his big sister gets teased for her love of Star Wars, and I think that helped him a bit. But he will soon not admit to liking dolls at school, I am sure, which hurts my heart. He is lucky, however, because he does like ninjas and knights and Star Wars too, so he isn’t going to be as crushed as kids like C.J. That really hurts my heart too.
Look how big CJ is now! That smile makes me happy. Very good job on the bed, all 3 of you!
Well I had a crush on Chad Allen circa Our House too, but I think it might be replaced by this new Chad Alan! Mazel tov to all involved!!
You are awesome parents! I don’t even know any parents who would make a bed for their girl who likes dolls! lol. I read your book, by the way, and loved every word. 🙂 Well done!
Mazel Tov on all of this!!!