Interview with JR and Vanessa Ford, Authors of “Calvin”
Calvin was inspired by your child. Were they a part of the process of creating and writing the story? What was their reaction to seeing the book?
NOTE: Ellie identifies as transgender non-binary now. So while much of our advocacy early on uses she pronouns, Ellie now uses they/them.
Calvin was in fact inspired by our child. Ellie (they/them) told us when they were 4, " I'm a girl in my heart and my brain" as Calvin did in the story to his parents. While Calvin is not based on all of Ellie's experiences-- and our experiences supporting them-- there are many nods to real things that happened the summer Ellie transitioned to live as their authentic self in 2015. For example, Ellie also picked their name from a loved item (an elephant blanket) they had! During the 3 years it took to bring this book to shelves, Ellie read all of the drafts (or we read to them) and they told us what they were comfortable with and what they were not comfortable with. It really hit home for them once illustrations came into play. They also helped pick character names. When we knew the first advance copies were coming, Ellie asked to be the first to hold the book and bring them to their friends and teachers. They were very proud. I think it helped that this was not a book entitled "Ellie", but was a true amalgamation of experiences from many trans kiddos we knew-- not just their story.
Can you describe the process of creating Calvin? How did the idea come about, and what was it like writing a book - particularly a book inspired by your own family - together?
We were always looking for books that represented the experience of young transgender children. In 2018 when JR and I sat for 8 hours and got our first draft on paper, we were hoping to fill a gap we saw. At that time, there were no books with transgender boys--- or transgender kids of color. ( Since that time, there are now many amazing books that join Calvin such as "Born Ready", " When Aidan Became a Brother", " My Sister Daisy" and " My Rainbow"!) We wanted to tell the story of many of our friends, inspired by our own experiences, and it took a lot of conversations with families and those in the writing community as well. We had never done anything like this before! We also knew we wanted to write a book free of bullying or the child having to convince adults in their lives about their identity. One thing we quickly learned is that writing a children's book is hard! We were thankful to have the amazing support of our Aevetis Creative agents Rick Richter and Maggie Cooper who helped us hone the story and get it ready to deliver to publishers. We were then lucky enough to work with our editor Stacy Barney, now Associate Publisher of Nancy Paulson Books, who helped us finalize the manuscript and prepare it for our illustrator. It took us over 18 months to get the story to the place where it was ready to illustrate! JR and I learned a lot about working together during this time too. I often would get words on paper and he would provide editing/revision ideas. We had a good balance!
You are both very involved in the fight for trans rights - you are founding members of the HRC’s Parents for Transgender Equality and your work has been featured in all sorts of media. In the face of so much anti-trans legislation in recent months, how do you stay hopeful? What advice do you have for other activists and advocates on how we can continue to rise up and stand up against this hate?
We find hope in the everyday experiences with our own transgender child--- and in the joy and passion of the many others we know and love. Community is critically important. We have many families of trans kids in our friend group as well as many amazing trans adults and elders who show us every day what it means to live authentically and unapologetically. What more could you ask for inspiration and hope? The hate is pervasive, especially now as rights are rapidly being legislated away across the country but our children are worth every second of the fight. I'd recommend that people don't go this fight alone. Find community- online or in person-- of like-minded people who can hold you up when you need it and you can hold them up when they need it. Together we are stronger.
JR: You said in a video on your website, “Kids speak very honestly about who they are and how they feel…every kid is different, every kid is unique. It’s just for us to accept them and support them in every way. Listen to your kid.” This is such important advice - and not just in the context of gender, but also in likes, dislikes, passions, and other forms of identity. What would you say to parents who might believe children are too young or inexperienced to understand themselves, who they are, and what they need?
Early on, a therapist told us " People are who they say they are until they tell you otherwise". This has proved true on our journey and I deeply believe in this. As a parent, our job is to help guide our kids but also give them the space to explore and be free. If your child expresses who they are and you need support, reach out to those who've been on this journey and you don't need to go it alone. It is-- and can be-- a magical journey.
Vanessa: You have spent your career working with schools and educators on increasing equity in education. What would you say to teachers who are fighting to provide representation and equity in their classrooms but are receiving pushback from parents, administrators, or legislation? What would you say to teachers who want to be more intentional when it comes to providing quality representation and creating a more equitable space, but perhaps struggle with how to accomplish that goal?
Oh, how I love teachers! In fact, Calvin is dedicated to each of the teachers Ellie had from the year they transitioned to the publication date. (You will see "Ms. C" and "Mr. T" on the teacher nametags. Those are real individuals who impacted Ellie's journey early on.) All of this to say, teachers ( and schools) have a profound impact on the experience of a transgender child. As teachers work to ensure their classrooms are inclusive, I encourage them to do so with support. Organizations like "Welcoming Schools" or "Gender Spectrum" have great lessons, ideas, and resources to support teachers and administrators doing the work. The last piece is advice I go from my father when I entered my first classroom in Washington, DC. He was a teacher, and then a principal for over 40 years. He told me, when confronted with a question about what to do, always ask " Whats best for kids?" and then fight to make that happen no matter how hard-- especially if you find community to fight with.
What would you say to all the young “Calvins” out there - children who know who they are, but whom the world still may struggle to celebrate?
You are loved. You are beautiful. You are a gift to the world. You are not alone. There are thousands, if not millions, out here ready to support you and celebrate your authentic, beautiful selves!
