Gender representation [traduction à venir]

[Amber]

The world is made up of people of all genders. So, for people of all genders to be represented in child care is a reflection upon the world. How can we teach our children to be acceptant if we limit the dynamic of who’s caring for them to only one demographic. You can only have young women that are pretty between this age and this age taking care of children. Well, no, because that’s not who it is. Everyone has a certain gift. And whether you’re a male, trans, female, or you are non-binary, if you have the compassionate caregiver gift, then you need to go somewhere where you can use that gift because the people need you to be there. You need to be the adult that you needed when you were a child. 

[Caitlin]

Well, I can speak of, I can talk about why diversity is important for children to see, because I was a trans kid myself. I was somebody who knew that I was trans from a very young age, and I hid it for a lot of my life because I didn’t think that I could transition. I didn’t think that I could be what I wanted to be. But I also didn’t see anybody around me who was like me. It’s inevitable that there are kids who are queer, who will grow up to be queer, trans, gay, whatever. To give them that role model early in life, to say, “I’m me, and that’s okay”. If I had that when I was growing up, because I didn’t, that would have gone so far. And now that I have that experience of what it wasn’t like, my first goal is to make sure everybody feels like they belong.  

[Sam]

It’s important because, well, children all come from different walks of life, right? So, when they can see someone similar to them or, especially in friends or in staff. When they can see someone representing them, they feel less alone and they feel supported and welcomed, for sure. And so, if everyone can be represented, we can show all sorts of life, then I can just hope to make a child feel welcome and deserving of all sorts of love.