Over the past fifty years, children’s picture books have made great strides
toward literary equity by including more perspectives from and stories about
marginalized groups, such as those whose gender identities do not conform to
heteronormative standards. While texts featuring gender-variant male characters
engage in topics that are far too often shoved into the proverbial closet, what is yet
to be determined is the degree to which they adequately reflect the complexity of
(gender) identity and to what extent such picture books can counter narratives
related to traditional ‘‘masculinity.’’ The purpose of this paper is to critically
examine picture book representations of gender variance, as exhibited by male
characters, in order to determine the books’ potential for exploring issues of social
justice with elementary-age students. This study utilizes a critical multiculturalist
lens to challenge the ways in which gender variance is represented in children’s
literature and the reasons that young gender-variant male protagonists achieve—or
do not achieve—communal acceptance.

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• Flowers, Dancing, Dresses, and Dolls: Picture Book Representations of Gender-Variant Males