If you’ve been following the story about North Carolina’s Grayson Bruce, yesterday his school/district issued a reply:
Statement from Buncombe County Schools after the meeting: We have appreciated the opportunity to meet with the Bruce family and discuss the issues. We sincerely regret that the issue of being told to leave the bookbag at home was perceived as blaming Grayson. While that was not the intent, the perception became reality. We support Grayson bringing the bookbag to school.
We discussed a number of options to consider in moving forward for Grayson. All of the options discussed included a safety transition plan and an allowance for Grayson to bring the bookbag to school.
Every situation with young children is a teachable moment and we will use this example in our efforts to address a wider issue of bullying. The Bruce family has committed to working with us to improve and enhance our anti-bullying programs.
We ask for everyone’s patience and understanding as we continue to work collaboratively with the family toward a resolution that is best for Grayson and his classmates at Candler Elementary School.
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A few months ago, I was introduced to the videos of Laurin Mayeno. Laurin is the mother of a 25-year-old out, proud gay man who was gender creative as a child. She has created three Proud Mom Videos in which she shares her experiences parenting her son, Danny. She created the series with her son’s help to open hearts and minds, spark dialogue, build awareness and support families like her own.
You should watch them and then poke around her Out Proud Families website: http://www.outproudfamilies.com/?page_id=25
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GLSEN, The Matthew Shepard Foundation, Candlewick Press and author Leslea Newman have put together an expanded resource guide for Newman’s book, OCTOBER MOURNING: A SONG FOR MATTHEW SHEPARD. The resource guide tells the story of Matthew Shepard, teaches themes of empathy and justice, implements LGBT-inclusive lesson plans, meets reading and writing standards and supports LGBT students. Check it out here: http://glsen.org/matthewshepard
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I’ve been contacted by a director who is casting for a workshop of a play in which all actors are trans. They are looking for someone who can play a 17 year old trans girl.
Here’s more info:
“MERISM”
Your Name Here: A Queer Theater Company
Workshop Production
Producer: {Your Name Here}: A Queer Theater Company http://www.yournamehereqtc.org/
SUMMARY: Nina’s a 4.0 high school senior from a privileged family but when her mom won’t get out of bed she goes looking for parenting and support at a queer and trans youth drop-in center. She quickly bonds with Bo, the only other transperson she sees and, as they become friends, urges him to come stay with her and her mom. MERISM tells the story of three transpeople whose lives become inextricably connected.
Actors can be any ethnicity, but must identify as trans or gender-queer. It doesn’t matter where they are in their transition, as long as they identify as female. The workshop takes place in New York City, so they need someone who lives in the tri-state area. Actors will be paid.
If you are interested, please contact Judy at judy@judybowmancasting.com or (917) 673-2655.
Raising My Rainbow 
Thank you so much for spreading the word about Out Proud Families–what a fantastic, reassuring resource!
Awesome
While the outcome is welcome, the administrators’ reply is infuriating. Grayson had in fact been told he could not bring his My Little Pony backpack to school. Now they’re implying it was merely a matter of perception, yet clearly (by revoking their earlier decision) the school is admitting they DID put the onus on Grayson. He himself was the only person who could (somehow) stop being bullied.
This is not just a problem in North Carolina in 2014. It’s been going on for a long time, in many places, and it will continue. In public schools during the ’70s and ’80s, frequently I was told that I “must be doing something to bring it on [my]self.” For such “bully triggers” as being a boy who wore brightly-colored clothes.
They won’t find fault with the bullies. Because they’re rarely caught in the act, or because their behavior is difficult to change? Both are true, but a deeper truth can never be acknowledged.
The bullies are performing what’s seen as a useful (even necessary) service: punishing boys who don’t conform to gender norms. Teachers and principals, by giving tacit approval of bullying, have an efficient method of brutal socialization in which the biggest and most powerful of all–the grown-ups!–are perfectly shielded from responsibility.
The message is clear, for ALL boys. Most will see what happens to the weakest among them, and strive to avoid being singled out. Those kids who are repeatedly marked for this brutality–even if they attempt to change the way they look, or behave–will continue to be ostracized, taunted and assaulted. Whatever the case? Their humiliation is intolerable, and–in many instances–the deepest scars will never entirely heal.
Double thumbs up! Articulate and spot on!
Thank you for keeping us updated about Grayson. I’m glad to see this outcome. Education, while a lovely notion, can be an incredibly painful and exhausting process for those of us who are the teachers (Grayson & his family in this case).
So happy for Grayson! I can only hope that this can be a teachable moment for other schools on acceptance and understanding. There is far more gender creativity in the world than in years past, and schools really need to get on the boat to promote solidarity among students.
The world is made up of people that are wonderful and unique which is why we are called INDIVIDUALS. Many of the problems of the world come from the fact that some people view themselves at the top of some imaginary ladder and place others on rungs below, with those most different from the ladder sitters somewhere down at that bottom of the rung and those who they view as having similarities to themselves closer to the top of the ladder. These people sit atop their imaginary ladders making decisions and judgments, as if they had that right.
I am grateful for C.J. and your family for toppling the ladder and reminding people that we are all on the same level and are profoundly interesting and one of a kind. Embrace and learn from others who are different from yourself. An enriched life is a fully lived life.
Thanks for the update. I’m sure your support helped make this possible. And thanks so much for sharing info about Out Proud Families!
Great news about Grayson! Thanks for keeping us updated.
Reblogged this on JerBear's Queer World News, Views & More From The City Different – Santa Fe, NM and commented:
A positive resolution to the young Brony who couldn’t take his “My Little Pony” back back to school after being bullied. He now can take the backpack and the school will improve it’s antiterrorism. There are also a couple other items of interest in this post…