06/03/2023
A FAIRY TALE FOR MODERN SENSITIVE TIMES
After seeing on the news how even fairy tales are being rewritten so as not to upset anyone...about anything....I thought it would be a good idea to attempt the genre of non-offensive writing. ;-)
CHAPTER ONE (although the first chapter it is not meant to indicate a preference over any other chapter)
Once upon a time there was a young person who lived in a non-descript building which may or may not have been part of a larger urban area. The building wasn’t a house, or a flat, or a bungalow, or a castle, or even a tent; it was simply a building constructed of a material which was not offensive to anyone.
The name given to them at birth was Holly, but they did not like that name, so they were waiting patiently for the day when they could choose their own. Their problem was that they were unsure what name to identify themselves with. They thought Holly was too ‘spiky’ a name for a person to have and could cause harm to those having to repeat it. And they did not want to harm anyone.
As the youngest person in the household, they found their views were sometimes not listened to by the other people who had lived there the longest and who identified themselves as the ‘parents’. These parents, in this case there were two of them even though there can be none, one or even more ‘parents’ in some other buildings in the area, found it difficult to understand why they wanted to change their name.
“It’s just a phase," one of them, let’s call them Parent One, said to the other, let’s call them Charlie as that is what they like to be called, one evening just after 5pm and before 9pm as we do not wish to upset other times by choosing a specific hour, “The name is perfectly adequate for a young person in their stage of development and is also wonderfully gender-neutral.”
“That is why we chose it. After all, there is a Holly Willoughby and a Holly Johnson who both identified as different genders in their own right. Perhaps we should discuss our choice with them?’
Parent One frowns, but in a non-aggressive or accusatory way, rather in a more confused manner, “Who, Holly Willoughby or Holly Johnson?”
Charlie laughs and instantly brings it under control in case someone in earshot finds it offensive, “No silly, and I apologise if you do not like to be called silly, if it causes you mental harm I apologise and will not use it again.”
“It’s adequate if you refrain from using it to describe me. I accept your apology.” Parent One states calmly.
Charlie nods their head sombrely, “Thank you. As I was saying to your question, I meant we should ask them; the person who is having conflict in their unchosen name.”
“Ah, I understand now. You mean, them. Holly.”
“Of course. I thought it was perfectly clear by using the non-specific pronoun for the person who resides in the same household as us and who we identify as the parents for.” Charlie nods their head towards the door, which is neither open or closed but in the state of being both so as not to upset doors which cannot be opened or closed. “Should we call them down and discuss our thoughts between us?”
Parent One pauses a moment, not too long as to cause concern, not too short to appear that consideration has not been given to the question. “Perhaps it would be more acceptable to request an audience and when they are ready and willing to talk, or listen, or take part in a conversation, verbal or otherwise, they will respond to the request in the affirmative. Not that affirmation is something we aspire to as all responses are adequate as long as they are non-abusive, conflictive or specific about any subject. I will leave a note and send a text, email and graphic illustration to explain our wishes.”
“Thank you for your consideration and wonderful use of non-language based communications which we hope will not be construed with any negative connotations by them. Don’t forget, not insinuating you have memory issues, to inform them they have the right to decline or bring a legal expert along if they deem it necessary.”
“Thank you,” says Parent One, “It is already the automatic script to any email and social media message I send out.”
CHAPTER TWO (Coming Soon – but not too soon and not too late, but in the perfect amount of time so as not to cause offence to any person, living, non-living and still yet to be expelled from the birth canal of their biological birth person)
