The book Sissy Duckling by Harvey Fierstein is a story about a boy duckling that is considered ‘special’ by all the other ducklings. He enjoys doing more stereotypical feminine things such as cooking, doing puppet shows, being the halftime show entertainment, and wearing things that are the color pink. The other ducklings, including his own father, call him a sissy and are embarrassed by his lifestyle. Elmer, the special duckling, is described as being the only boy duckling who didn’t like to do anything like the other boy ducklings. Elmer runs away from home to be by himself. Through many obstacles, he ends up realizing that he is just like the other ducklings and will always remain special.
Fierstein, Harvey. The Sissy Duckling. New York: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, 2002.
This book may relate to families that have a hard time accepting a person who is gay or has feminine tendencies. Elmer stands for what he believes in and does not let anyone make him think different. Even if his own father does not accept him, he still remains ‘special’. The book uses the words ‘special’ and ‘sissy’, which may influence the children reading it to use these words when encountering people that are homosexual. These terms can be very offensive to a gay person.
The illustrations in the book are cartoon-like, but are colorful and help children interpret and understand the story better. There is one picture where the decorations in his room are more feminine. The pictures included females and flowers. This picture could make the readers form a stereotype of what gay people might like. This diverse piece of literature has some stereotypical references, but would also allow readers to better understand how gay people may feel.
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