June is Pride Month and there’s no better time of year to share books with the little ones in your life about LGBT topics. The two books in this post are titles I’ve really enjoyed. They’re great for kids who are interested in cross-gender play, especially young boys who are curious about wearing dresses.

One of a Kind, Like Me

One of a Kind, Like Me is a beautiful, bilingual, true story about a boy named Danny and his purple princess dress. One day, he goes to the thrift store with his mom. There, he is able to make a dress out of a ruffled shower curtain, a robe, a purple neck tie, and a princess crown. At his school parade, he gets to celebrate his uniqueness with his friends. I love the message of acceptance in this story! 

Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress

Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress is another awesome book about Morris and his  dress. In this story, Morris gets picked on because “dresses are for girls.” He can’t play astronaut with the other boys because “astronauts don’t wear dresses.” Then, one day, he paints a picture, and his schoolmates shift their perspective on Morris’ dress.

Cross-Gender Play and Young Children

Cross-gendered play is normal for children, and it is important to celebrate it instead of enforcing harmful gender stereotypes. Allowing boys to wear dresses or play “mom” helps them develop empathy and compassion, traits that are usually seen as more feminine. The same goes for girls. Allowing girls to play more masculine roles can help them develop traits like assertiveness.

It is important to note that cross-gendered play doesn’t lead to gender-nonconforming children. Celebrating femininity will not lead to “boys wanting to be girls” or vice-versa. (Letting a child pretend to be a dinosaur doesn’t make them want to be a dinosaur permanently, does it?) Instead, it allows boys to respect femininity, something that is usually seen as “weak” or “less than.” At the same time, it allows girls to find inner strength and self confidence because they’re allowed to play hero or doctor versus maid or cook.

For more information on cross-gendered play, see this article.