Download & Print
March 21, 2024
Gender Identity Crisis
By Mikie Baker
The Bandera Prophet
Time for an update on Lola, the newest member of the family. We found this kitten on the ranch, abandoned by her mom at only a week old. I bottle fed this tiny furball and took her to the vet to get checked out when she was five weeks old. He pronounced that she was a girl. That’s when things got really weird.
Because I’ve been an owner to many a feline, I felt it was my duty, even my right, to name her. I decided on Lola as in, “Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets.” My Future Husband didn’t really care for the name because the Lola he remembered was from the Kinks song. In that song, it seems that Lola might actually be a guy. I just ignored him.
At about 3 months, I took Lola back in for more Expensive Vet Stuff and a different vet announced to me that she was pretty sure that Lola was a boy. It’s not often you can make me quit talking, but that sure did.
“What do you mean my pretty little Lola is a boy? Look at that face and those eyelashes. She’s so cute, I might even get her ears pierced!”
In shock, I called MFH and said, “The other vet said Lola’s a boy!” Of course, he started laughing hysterically and said, “And so Lola is the perfect name! The Kinks were right!”
Still, I refused to believe. I’ve seen a lot of kittens’ behinds in my life, and I didn’t see a hint of any boy stuff. She was my sweet (?) little girl. I was certain when it came time for neutering, Lola and I would be proven right.
Last week I drove her in for the big operation. When I got inside, I announced, “Here’s Lola the girl. I refuse to believe she’s a boy.”
The vet looked up and said, “Well I’m just about to find out, aren’t I?”
I left him to do his thing. Or undo her thing.
That afternoon when I went to pick up Lola, the vet said, “Well, it’s official. Lola was a boy, but now she’s neutral.”
My world came crashing down. My Lola? A former boy?
On the drive home, I pondered while Lola slept it off. Can you change a six-month old cat’s name? Will he/it/whatever come when called? Will it give her gender identity issues?
Then I thought about how to change the name Lola into a boy’s name. Lorenzo? Lowell? Nola and say he’s from New Orleans? I decided that a name change was just not an option, and I now owned a kitten that’s a Boy named Lola. Sounds like a great idea for a country western song.
By the time I got home, I was all worked up again and told My Future Husband that yes, indeed Lola was a boy. Unlike me, he saw the humor in the whole thing and thought Lola was the perfect name whether she was a She or a He.
But I can’t quit referring to Lola as a she because it’s too hard for me to change sexes in the middle of the stream. So, Lola’s still my girl and she doesn’t seem to care either way. I guess it’s really me that’s having the gender identity crisis and it’s also possible I’ve broken the law as I took Lola in as a girl, and she came out a boy.
Maybe Lola is the purrfect name after all.
Because I’ve been an owner to many a feline, I felt it was my duty, even my right, to name her. I decided on Lola as in, “Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets.” My Future Husband didn’t really care for the name because the Lola he remembered was from the Kinks song. In that song, it seems that Lola might actually be a guy. I just ignored him.
At about 3 months, I took Lola back in for more Expensive Vet Stuff and a different vet announced to me that she was pretty sure that Lola was a boy. It’s not often you can make me quit talking, but that sure did.
“What do you mean my pretty little Lola is a boy? Look at that face and those eyelashes. She’s so cute, I might even get her ears pierced!”
In shock, I called MFH and said, “The other vet said Lola’s a boy!” Of course, he started laughing hysterically and said, “And so Lola is the perfect name! The Kinks were right!”
Still, I refused to believe. I’ve seen a lot of kittens’ behinds in my life, and I didn’t see a hint of any boy stuff. She was my sweet (?) little girl. I was certain when it came time for neutering, Lola and I would be proven right.
Last week I drove her in for the big operation. When I got inside, I announced, “Here’s Lola the girl. I refuse to believe she’s a boy.”
The vet looked up and said, “Well I’m just about to find out, aren’t I?”
I left him to do his thing. Or undo her thing.
That afternoon when I went to pick up Lola, the vet said, “Well, it’s official. Lola was a boy, but now she’s neutral.”
My world came crashing down. My Lola? A former boy?
On the drive home, I pondered while Lola slept it off. Can you change a six-month old cat’s name? Will he/it/whatever come when called? Will it give her gender identity issues?
Then I thought about how to change the name Lola into a boy’s name. Lorenzo? Lowell? Nola and say he’s from New Orleans? I decided that a name change was just not an option, and I now owned a kitten that’s a Boy named Lola. Sounds like a great idea for a country western song.
By the time I got home, I was all worked up again and told My Future Husband that yes, indeed Lola was a boy. Unlike me, he saw the humor in the whole thing and thought Lola was the perfect name whether she was a She or a He.
But I can’t quit referring to Lola as a she because it’s too hard for me to change sexes in the middle of the stream. So, Lola’s still my girl and she doesn’t seem to care either way. I guess it’s really me that’s having the gender identity crisis and it’s also possible I’ve broken the law as I took Lola in as a girl, and she came out a boy.
Maybe Lola is the purrfect name after all.