Girl T-rexes

It's pretty darned cold here. Two days ago, I lent Jordan a scarf, but yesterday, when we were bundling up for the walk to school, he said, "Mommy I am only wearing the gloves today, not the scarf. Keegan said I look like a girl." I had about nine internal reactions at once, including "That scarf is blue!" and "Who cares what Keegan thinks, it's cold!" But instead I attempted to take the gender issue by the horns.

Rachel: That makes it sound like someone thinks that being a girl is worse than being a boy, and honestly, that hurts my feelings.
Jordan: (long pause) But boys are stronger.
Rachel: Some boys are stronger than some girls, and some girls are stronger than some boys.
Jordan: But we all had a race, Sam and Chloe and Sophie and me, and the boys won.

I was not sure where to go with this. By this time we were on our way down the block to the school. But I just kept up the conversation.

Jordan: A boy is strong like a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Rachel: You know, half of the Tyrannosaurus Rexes that ever lived were girls.
(Jordan stops in his tracks! Looks at me in disbelief!)
Jordan: Mama, that is so silly, they were not girls!
Rachel: Oh yes they were. There were just as many girl T-rexes as boy T-rexes.
Jordan: (Laughing, like it's a big joke.) You can't know that, Mama! They don't know everything about dinosaurs. You just made that up.
Rachel: Actually this is one thing we DO know. There had to be girl T-rexes or there would not be anyone to lay eggs and hatch new babies.
Jordan: The daddies could take care of the eggs.

Big points for acceptance of diverse family arrangements, but not so clear on the biology! I'm just pleased that I found a way to challenge his gender assumptions. I never would have thought of girl T-rexes as helpful resources, but now I am a fan. What do you want to bet Jordan is picturing them with long eyelashes and bows on their heads?