A four-year-old took part in the Pride Parade in Vancouver in July, where he officially announced his male transition into the world with a gender reveal blue gun and his grandmother by his side.
Charlie Danger Lloyd, of British Columbia, Canada, was born female but now identifies as male after expressing his desire to be a different gender from a young age, his 27-year-old mother, Alaina Bourrel, confirmed.
The video, shared on social media, shows the moment Charlie, using he/him pronouns, bursts a confetti cannon with blue smoke to celebrate his decision.
“As they closed the street, Charlie strutted out with Grammy and they stood on the sidelines and after a brief struggle the cannon exploded with blue smoke and biodegradable confetti,” the four-year-old’s mother, Alaina, told the South West News Service.
“Charlie jumped for joy as the crowd cheered him on. He couldn’t believe the love and support he received from those around him.” Charlie happily runs into his mother’s arms at the end of the video.
Charlie Danger Lloyd, four, has wanted to be a boy since he was two when he celebrated his transformation reveal at the Vancouver Pride Parade on July 31, according to his 27-year-old mother
Bourrel said the moment was inspired by the child’s previous gender reveal before he was born and how the smoke didn’t come out properly.
“When we told him the story, he asked for a rerun with his grandma at the Vancouver Pride Parade — so we bought him a smoke cannon and hid it for the day,” she said.
The mother added that her child’s happiness is a far cry from a time when she was constantly trolled online by people who accused her of being a “paedophile, carer and rapist” for helping her son’s transition.
Bourrel went on to say that Charlie grew jealous of wanting to be a boy by the age of two and often told family members that he wanted to look “just like dad.” He would also try to convince people that he is a boy most days.
“He wasn’t your typical little girl. He played with other boys and the parents said he was more of a boy than their own children,” Bourrel said, looking back on her son’s early days.
The preschooler had no trouble with his transition at school and was complimented by staff and peers when he decided to go by the pronoun he/him. Pictured: Charlie in his mother’s arms at the Vancouver Pride Parade on July 31
She added that they didn’t seriously consider Charlie’s wishes until the end of 2021, when he stopped shopping for girls’ clothes and cut his hair short.
“He refused to shop in the girls’ department but was too nervous to shop in the boys’ department,” Bourrel continued. “After talking a lot to me about his feelings and emotions, he decided he wanted a new wardrobe, so we went in search of our new style.”
After buying a new set of boy’s clothes, four-year-old Charlie wanted to figure out his hairstyle.
“We made an appointment with Lia at Big Bros Barbershop, an owner-operated salon in East Vancouver,” Bourrel said. “After Charlie left the salon that afternoon, he was a whole new kid.”
The four-year-old swapped his entire wardrobe for boys’ clothes and cut his hair short. Charlie’s parents said the child’s confidence only increased after he started the transition about four months ago
Charlie’s parents felt the benefits of these changes as their son’s confidence increased.
“It’s now four months since he started his social transition,” she said. “He’s still a normal kid doing normal little kid things like playing with Lego[s]uses his creativity and learns to ride a bike.”
Despite the hate meted out by Charlie’s parents, who often criticize her support and “brainwash” their child, Bourrel said the family’s close followers were only vocal in their support for the four-year-old.
“His decisions weren’t questioned and he was complimented and everyone started using new pronouns,” the young mother said.
“We’re so fortunate to have the circle that we have,” she added, expressing her gratitude to the family’s inner circle.