Heteronormativity ahoy

Scene: I was taking the for a haircut, and we happened to pass a church that was ringing for matins. He asked why the bell was ringing, and misheard ‘matins’ as the name of one of his friends who moved to Cambridge last year (who I shall refer to as M). The important thing to note is that M is the child of a lesbian couple.

:

Where M?

:

M’s in Cambridge.

:

Why M in Cambridge?

:

Because his mummies got jobs in Cambridge.

:

What about him daddy?

:

I don’t know – M lives with his two mummies.

:

No, M not got two mummies. M got a mummy and a daddy.

:

No, M has two mummies. Remember, you saw them both at G’s house earlier in the year. And you saw them when you went to M’s birthday party. And you saw them almost every day when they picked M up from nursery.

:

*upset* No, M got a mummy and a daddy. M not got two mummies. You pooey!

:

I’m not pooey! Not all little boys and girls have a mummy and a daddy; some have two mummies, like M, and some have two daddies.

:

*very upset* NO! YOU WRONG! YOU POOEY! M GOT A MUMMY AND A DADDY! pthpthpthpt!

:

On that we’ll have to disagree.

I mean, what else can you do in this situation?