- Joined
- Feb 3, 2013
Nobody here wants Desmond hurt. The parents are the ones being discussed and criticized. Things like Desmond's makeup and wardrobe are, I think, legitimate topics of discussion--as indicators that these aren't things he's choosing on his own. If the kid was really passionate about drag, we'd see him experimenting, improving, trying lots of things. Instead, he's clearly being used as a surrogate or clotheshorse by his mother, and the makeup and costumes reflect that.
And not to add to the autism pileup, but yeah, count me for one more on the "kids who played dressup across gender lines" thing. I distinctly remember arguing with my brothers over who got to wear the old Army helmets when we played war in the backyard. A little messing around is one thing, and I think a lot of imaginative kids do it, particularly if it's a mixture of boys and girls. Desmond could have gotten into his mom's makeup or wardrobe once or twice ... and she decided to run with it, and here we are. Poor kid.
And not to add to the autism pileup, but yeah, count me for one more on the "kids who played dressup across gender lines" thing. I distinctly remember arguing with my brothers over who got to wear the old Army helmets when we played war in the backyard. A little messing around is one thing, and I think a lot of imaginative kids do it, particularly if it's a mixture of boys and girls. Desmond could have gotten into his mom's makeup or wardrobe once or twice ... and she decided to run with it, and here we are. Poor kid.