
Joychild
Special | 5m 35sVideo has Closed Captions
A young child tells their mother “I’m not a girl” for the first time.
A young child tells their mother “I’m not a girl” for the first time.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Major funding for POV is provided by PBS, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Wyncote Foundation, Reva & David Logan Foundation, the Open Society Foundations and the...

Joychild
Special | 5m 35sVideo has Closed Captions
A young child tells their mother “I’m not a girl” for the first time.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship♪♪♪ -I'm trying to figure out how to put this in words.
-Take your time.
-We had that little talk, and I said, "I've been hiding this for a long time."
And you said, "Okay."
[ Bird chirping ] And you accepted it.
I figured one of the best times you ever really understood me and my gender was, um, that very first evening, I think.
-Mm-hmm.
[ Bell chimes ] -It was so hard keeping that secret.
[ Bell chimes ] [ Bird chirping ] [ Bell chimes ] ♪♪♪ I never intended to tell you.
I felt like I shouldn't.
I mean, like, even I was doubtful.
I'm just a little kid.
How would I know?
And then my brain went and took over and said, "You're doing this."
And I went ahead and said it.
And...
I didn't mean to tell you, but now I'm so glad I did.
[ Children chattering indistinctly ] Do I really care what everybody thinks?
-Mm-hmm.
-Yes.
Everybody on this earth, every human being cares at least one tiny thing about what people think about them.
-Yeah.
-But if you still have that heavy weight of caring about it too much, then it will stop you from being who you are.
-Yeah.
♪♪♪ -I thought I wasn't ready.
♪♪♪ [ Children continue chattering ] ♪♪♪ 'Cause it was kind of overwhelming to tell you.
-Mm-hmm.
-And talking about it, I'm starting to feel overwhelmed again.
♪♪♪ -Whoo!
-Whoo!
-Whoo!
Whoo!
-Whoo!
Whoo!
-[ Continues whooping ] ♪♪♪ -'Cause I'm just feeling that come back to me.
I need a big push here.
-You need a push?
Big push?
Push.
-You're free!
♪♪♪ -Like, it's -- it's probably the best memory I have... ♪♪♪ ...telling you...
I'm not a girl... for the first time, but it's probably the worst, too, 'cause that was so hard for me.
[ Crying ] [ Sniffles ] -I'm sorry it was hard.
-[ Crying ] -Oh.
Hey.
-[ Sniffles ] [ Wind chimes tinkling ] ♪♪♪
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Major funding for POV is provided by PBS, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Wyncote Foundation, Reva & David Logan Foundation, the Open Society Foundations and the...