advice from Marcel Rufo

The point of view of Marcel Rufo, child psychiatrist

Your granddaughter is establishing herself as a “drag king”. Most often, “drag kings” are women who, mirroring the more well-known “drag queens”, embody male characters of extravagant appearance. These representations are indeed provocative and outrageous. Some people are calling for a more tolerant society towards gender minorities, without this necessarily meaning, particularly in the case of your granddaughter, a homosexual or transgender affirmation. Should we be worried? I don’t believe it. Cross-dressing has always allowed us to explore a path of openness in our relationship with others. In this exploration, today’s adolescents are freer. Furthermore, as far as Manon is concerned, it is a game since she puts herself on stage in her profession as an actress, where she must juggle the various identities of the characters she plays. It’s his way of being in the world. Ask Manon to explain her motivations to you, Marthe. Why not in the presence of her partner and her parents, or even the friend with whom she cross-dresses? If you doubt it, you will be reassured: in my opinion, Manon feels good about herself.