More proof that children “get it” more than adults do, another entry from Not Always Right…
(I’m a female-to-male transgender person who is not on hormones yet; despite this, I don’t have much of a problem with pronoun mistakes. The customer I have is a middle-aged woman and her young son, about six or seven.)
Me: “Welcome to [Restaurant]. How are you today?”
Woman: “I’m good.” *to her son* “Tell the lady what you want!”
Son: “Momma, that’s a man.”
Woman: “Shhh! Don’t say that! You’ll make her feel bad.”
Me: “Actually, he’s right. I am a boy.”
Woman: *ignoring me* “I can see why you’re confused, though.” *to me* “You need to start wearing makeup or something. My son is getting confused!”
Me: “Ma’am, your son is correct.”
Woman: *still ignoring what I’m saying* “And would it kill you to grow your hair out? Everyone’s going to think that you’re a lesbian!”
Me: *getting fed up* “Ma’am. I. Am. A. Man.”
Woman: “Why didn’t you say so?”
Son: “He did. You didn’t listen, mommy.”
Me: “Look, it’s not really a big deal. It happens all the time—”
Woman: “Then grow some facial hair or something! I can’t tell what you are!”
Me: “Um…”
Son: “Mommy, stop being stupid!”
(The son said his order and they checked out. The woman was completely silent after the son’s comment and she booked it out of the store.)
