The Daily Telegraph has published an opinion piece from a mother who was upset when she met, what she presumed to be, a transgender person working at her local Woolworths.
Niamh Kavanagh shared with the newspaper’s readers how she recently became flustered when she met a woman with a deeper voice working on the checkout.
Kavanagh claims children’s lives are complicated because they have to decipher situations including the pressure to eat health food at home, while when they go out they see junk food everywhere. Children struggle to understand that they need computers for school, but they’re not allowed to play games. Plus they’re forced to navigate politically correct school carnivals where everyone’s a winner.
Meeting a transgender person working at Woolworths was the final straw for the Aussie mum who has written about how she had to rush through the checkout out of a fear that her six year old son might ask questions.
Kavanagh noted that she would usually chat to the checkout operator – but not this time.
She hoped that he 6 year old son wouldn’t notice the staff members deeper voice, alas should she have to answer questions from him.
She though she’d dodged a bullet, but as soon as they’re back in the car the child asked a question about the checkout operator, now she really had a problem.
Perplexed, Kavanagh asked how she could possibly explain the operator’s deeper voice. Should she call the person a transvestite? Should she say it’s ‘dress up day’ at the supermarket? She should she say the person is undergoing a sex change? It’s a huge dilemma for her.
Eventually she declares it’s all too hard and – we should work to protect children’s innocence.
What’s a mother to do?
Well Niamh since you asked, here’s a few suggestions.
That’s my opinion, since you asked.
Graeme Watson is a radio broadcaster and publisher of OUTinPerth.