What a great question. Syd is the kid in everyone’s world who doesn’t fit the gender norms. Just think about it, 100 years ago, many of us would not fit the gender norms. For example, I am a doctor, a golfer, a boater, and a girl. I wear pants to work most of the time. All of these behaviors, break gender stereotypes of 100 years ago. Thank goodness, I wasn’t born then. Yet, everyday someone is being questioned about their interest in a “boy only” or “girl only” thing. This is the reason we created this book, “A Kid Named Syd”. Everyone wants to identify as the person they are. Then we all want to be loved and celebrated for that identity.
Syd is not really shown in the book, intentionally. We want everyone reading, “A Kid Named Syd”, to see themselves in Syd. Each of us have a little something about us that makes us question our greatness. Syd was that kid. As we follow his journey, Syd realizes that play is a universal language. “Syd learned to play with kids having fun, Syd did not exclude playing with anyone.” It is this fundamental language of play, that will help us build a more civil world, where people learn how to play and work together.
Peace, C. King, MD