Three years ago, when Restore Childhood was still small and only a few hundred of you were reading us, Stephanie Edmonds wrote an essay about her unusual childhood. It was called “I Was A Girl Who Wanted to Be a Boy…”
I Was a Girl Who Wanted to Be a Boy...
“I am not wearing dresses ever again!” I proclaimed at age seven.
When we published it, we had no idea how resonant it would prove to be!
Thousands of people read it. Hundreds shared it. Three years later, readers still email us about it.
The reason is simple.
Stephanie’s story was about growing up feeling different.
She hated dresses. She loved hockey. She preferred the boys’ section of the clothing store. For years she secretly wished she could be a boy.
Thankfully, the adults in her life didn’t panic.
They didn’t tell her she had been born in the wrong body. They told her the truth, and helped her grow into the woman she was meant to become.
Today, we’re excited to share that we’re turning Stephanie’s story into a children’s book.
Over the coming month we’ll be assembling the photographs, stories, and visual elements that will bring Stephanie’s true story to life for children and parents.
Why now?
Because the questions Stephanie wrestled with have not gone away.
Parents are still downloading An Urgent Conversation, our 2024 gender toolkit. Families are still navigating confusion around identity, stereotypes, and growing up. And children still need adults willing to tell them the truth with love and confidence.
The question at the heart of Stephanie’s story remains as important as ever:
What happens when a child doesn’t fit the stereotype?
Stephanie’s parents gave her an answer that changed her life.
They told her she was a girl. A girl who loved hockey and hated dresses. A girl who didn’t fit expectations. But a girl nonetheless.
If you’d like to reserve your copy of the book, preorders are now open.
Every preorder helps us get this book printed and to families who need this story now. Unlike a major publishing house, Restore Childhood is a small nonprofit creating books, films, toolkits, and resources because we believe children deserve stories that tell the truth about who they are and help them grow with confidence.
Most importantly, your preorders helps us prove there is a real demand for stories that celebrate childhood, family, and the loving guidance children need as they grow.
If this story resonates with you, we hope you’ll consider being one of the first to support it!
Thank you,
Natalya and Stephanie