REFORM: An elementary school in New York City modifies its once Father-Daughter Dance to that of a dance welcoming caregivers and children of any gender.
By Alex Flores, Staff Writer
In New York City, a Staten Island elementary school cancelled its traditional father-daughter dance to adhere to the Department of Education’s (DOE) gender guidelines that went into effect March of 2017. The school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) originally planned the event for February 9th, but realized it would not respect the Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Student Guidelines. “Father-daughter dances inherently leave people out. Not just because of transgender status, just life in general. These can be really uncomfortable and triggering events,” Jared Fox, the DOE’s LGBT community liaison, said. These triggering events can be anything from a child not having a father, to a father being unsupportive of their child’s transition to another gender. To avoid the imminent discomfort, the PTA rescheduled the dance for March 2nd, open to children and guardians of any gender.
This occurrence upset many parents due to its politically correct nature and the extent to which it is being applied. The focus on gender is the surface cause of annoyance among these parents. “All this gender crap needs to just stop,” mother Akaia Cameron said, adding that her daughter had a “great time” with her father last year. The next cause for offense is the supposed negative effect on the children. “I have nothing against no one, but I don’t think that it should affect the school, or the kids for that matter,” father Jose Garcia, who has gone to past dances with his daughter, said. The very root of indignation for these parents seems to be the change in customs. “They’re trying to take away everything that everybody grew up on and has come to know, and I don’t think it’s fair or right,” Matthew West, a father of two daughters at the school, said.
Notice that these parents all had some sort of involvement with the school’s previous father-daughter dances— they are only thinking of how the modification affects them personally and not thinking of others. This event could empower and give hope to so many people that wish to see a world with less gender specific roles. What these parents do not understand is that this sort of gender neutral event is the stop of “gender crap,” is beneficial to children, and is creating new customs that better accommodate everybody. Gender neutrality, in essence, abandons the distinction of roles according to people’s sex, which avoids discrimination. What is so unfair about that? Today’s gender neutrality is the past’s race neutrality and it should extend to social institutions including schools. Could one imagine a specifically whites only dance taking place today? Probably not, so why is a specific father-daughter dance any different? The crap is being left behind; children will not have to deal with that mess, unlike generations before them did.