[In Cher Upon A Midnight Clear], Matteo B. Bianchi captures a delicate and fundamental aspect of gender discrimination: the extent to which it can be cruelly unconscious: “How do adults know when something is for boys and when it’s for girls? Who tells them so? Where do they learn it?” asks Bianchi’s young hero, eight-year-old Luca. And why doesn’t Luca see what everyone else seems to understand so clearly? Even early in life, the “genderization” of toys creates discomfort for people in search of their sexual identity, and the panic and anger that Luca’s parents express when he tells them he wants a pair of thigh-high ice skates for Christmas is an all-too-common reaction. When Cher appears in their living room with Luca’s gift, they demand an explanation: How is such a thing possible? Cher’s only comment: “Look at me. I’m nearly seventy years old. Does that seem possible?” (Paolo Armelli, fuoritempo)
“If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” — Toni Morrison
FourCats Press 