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Transcript: Vince Busenbark “Vica Steel” Transgender Coming Out Video and “They Call Me Mix” Book Reading

Shown to K-5th Grade Children at Allis Elementary May 16, 2019

Prelude

May 11, 2019



Book Cover

Book: “’They Call Me Mix,’ by Lourdes Rivas.”

Busenbark Commentary: “I love this story. This story…this is really my story, in reverse. Lourdes Rivas starts as a girl, and grows into who they [sic] are going to become. I started as a boy, and I hope to grow into who I…am going to become.”

Page 1 Book: “’BOY or GIRL?’ Are you a boy or a girl? How can you be both? Some days I am both. Some days I am neither. Most days I am everything in between.”



Page 2

Book: “When I was born, everyone decided and agreed that I was a girl. So they named me Lourdes.”

Busenbark Commentary: “Lourdes…aren’t they [sic] cute?”

Page 3

Book: “As a kid, I never felt like just a girl. I never felt right knowing everyone was deciding and agreeing that I was a girl.” (The picture shows the child sticking her tongue out at an adult giving her a dress to wear. This encourages disobedience and disrespect against parents).



Page 4

Book: “I also didn’t feel like just a boy. I knew in my heart that I could never choose one or the other. I knew in my heart that I wanted to be free every day to just be me, without thinking about choosing only girl or only boy.”

Busenbark Commentary: “That part? That feels like my story.” “When I was a child, I was named a ‘boy.’ But that never felt ‘right’ and ‘true.’ I didn’t have the words back then to say how come it didn’t feel right. But I knew that it wasn’t ‘really’ My. Whole. Story.”

Page 5 Book: “I always felt like a little of both. I wanted people to believe me. I wanted people to celebrate me.”



Page 6 Book: “I imagined myself like a book. My outside cover told only one part of my story. Inside, I was bursting with imagination.” (Note: Camera pans over without Busenbark reading “Even though I knew this, I still didn’t know how to explain it to anyone else but myself, so I went on agreeing with what others called me. Agreeing with others was like ignoring my heart. Ignoring your heart makes everything all [illegible].

Busenbark Commentary: “And I love that notion, we’re more then what you just see on the surface. We are more then the covers of Our. Own. Books.”

Page 7

Book: “Many people understand that my gender is something for only me to decide. They ask what I’d like to be called. They learn to use non-binary [sic] words for me like they [sic] or just my name. They support me.”



Page 8

Book: “And some people cannot understand how it is possible for me to disagree with them and decide on my own gender.” (Evil, ghost-like faces are the illustrations for such “people.”)

Page 9 Book: “They continue saying I am a girl. They continue using the pronoun she for me. Sometimes they even use hurtful words towards me. They disregard how I feel and what I need.”



Busenbark Commentary: “And can I tell you how ‘terrifying’ this is? Coming out, being honest about a ‘truth’ I have hidden for decades? The only words I knew for people like me, growing up, were words of ‘hate’ and words of ‘fear.’ And those words are still out there! But I can’t live like that. I can’t live in fear. I can’t worry about hate.’ That’s not who I am. I lead with love.’ I look for beauty. I see...the beautiful day. And, oh, what a beautiful day it is.”

Page 11 Book: “We listen to each other. We believe each other. We celebrate each other!”

Page 12 Book: “I grew up and became a teacher. I am a non-binary [sic] teacher. I teach my students about respecting all genders. We practice with each other.”



Busenbark Commentary: “And now you’ve heard part of the story, ‘They Call Me Mix.’ I hope this has helped you understand the word ‘transgender’ better. And I hope…that it’s helped you understand me…a little better. We are not just the cover of our own books. And I know, that in our beautiful community, we love and honor each other, and that you will love and honor me, as we move forward.” Busenbark Commentary: “And now, let me introduce myself, anew. You’ve known me as the person who builds, and helps you build. You know me as the person with the plants, and the animals. You know me as the person in the science room. All of that’s true. None of that is changing. But I am going to take my wife, Stella Steel’s last name, and I am going to use, not ‘mister, and not miss, but ‘mix.’ So you can call me, ‘Mix Steel’.” (Busenbark Commentary regarding pet dog on camera)

Busenbark Commentary: “You can call me “Mix Steel,” but really, don’t worry, if you don’t get that…and you forget, and you call me “Mr. B?” You’ve known me a long time as that name. That’s gonna happen. All I ask is that you try to use the new name.



Busenbark Commentary: “And for my pronouns, I’m using ‘they,’ ‘them,’ and ‘their’.” … “Thank you.”



Full May 15, 2019 FB post

prelude - liberty counsellc.org/060319transcriptbusenbarkvicasteelmixbook... · you know me as the...

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