I want children to feel seen, as I would have wanted to.
Miranda Priestley, author of toby the traffic cone
Toby the Traffic Cone & Friends is a story series that does not conform to the gender stereotypes.
You might be asking why I have chosen to write the story in this way, given that I myself am a cisgender female, with pronouns “she/her”.
There are 2 clear reasons:
- Many of my friends are non-binary, meaning that they do not identify as male or female. Some are gender fluid, others are Agender. Many traditional stories do reinforce stereotypes, conforming to the conventional understanding of male and female roles, stereotyping job roles, dress-codes and personalities to suit. However, there are also modern books making strides in representation and we would like to join this collection. Toby the Traffic Cone’s story series naturally creates a world that disregards the social constructs of gender, and helps normalise the use of ‘they/them’ pronouns in an organic way. By introducing these identities early in childhood, the correct use of them in conversation will become effortless in the future. Toby the Traffic Cone teaches children to respect one another, look past conventional gender roles, and see each other for their uniqueness and talents.
- “I want children to feel seen, as I would have wanted to.” As a child, I refused to live by the gender constructs that society imposed. Growing up as somewhat of a ‘tomboy’, I loved playing with tin cars over dolls, was obsessed with martial arts and preferred to wear trousers over dresses. At an all-girls school, I felt that I was different, unusual and constantly reminded that my behaviour was not ‘lady-like’. Into adulthood, I continue to butt against the patriarchal structure; unmarried, outrageous, creative and, most of all, happy! Encouraging children to be confident in their talents, not confined by gender roles, and believe that anything is possible, is why I wrote this series this way.
I hope that this series teaches children across the world that they are not limited by their assigned gender and that they can live their lives as they choose to. We can live in a world of respect, celebrating uniqueness and not being afraid to live our lives doing the things we love.
Unfortunately, there is still some way to go with education in gender-neutrality and equality. This story series imagines a world where gender is not a defining factor, allowing children to explore their identities freely.
Toby the Traffic Cone 