Author: Colleen K. Vesely
Colleen is an associate professor of Early Childhood Education in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Her work examines the experiences of diverse, marginalized, and minoritized young children and their families. Colleen’s scholarship also focuses on family engagement, particularly among families from diverse racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, linguistic, and ability backgrounds. Colleen teaches courses focused on family engagement in early care and education, family processes and dynamics, as well as research methods. Colleen is the creator of the Raising Unicorns website (www.raisingunicorns.org) focused on raising gender-expansive children in a gender-binary world. Raising Unicorns provides resources for children (see KK’s Kids Corner) parents, teachers, and caregivers to support and affirm gender-expansive children. Colleen lives in northern Virginia with her partner and their three amazing children, and she describes motherhood as the most humbling experience of her life.
To Whom do Children Belong?
Posted onIn a recent CNN Townhall, a young trans person named Niko from Arlington, VA asked the current governor in Virginia about bathroom policies, “Look at me, I am a transgender man. Do you really think that […]
Supporting Gender Expansive Young Children’s Mental Health in Schools
Posted onMay is Mental Health Awareness month! Check out this wonderful resource from The Trevor Project focused on creating safer spaces in schools for LGBTQ youth. For more information on creating emotionally and physically safe schools for […]
Old Rules versus New Rules of Gender: Parent Do Overs
Posted onIt was picture day at my 2.5-year-old daughter’s preschool. Like most mothers, I picked out what I thought was cute – a pink and purple flowered shirt. I sneaked pig tails into her hair. Yes, sneaked […]
