Once upon a time there was a child.
This child had a mother who had wanted a child badly and finally was able to adopt a baby after her husband died. The child loved mother. And tried to be like her. Even practicing until the child could sit with crossed legs "just like mom".
The child only had a few friends. The girl next door (until she moved away) a girl across the street, and a few boys who lived farther away.
The boys played pranks on the child sometimes. But nothing too bad, though a few could have been if the child hadn't gotten suspicious. The girls didn't always want to play with the child, but they didn't try to play mean tricks either.
Then the child started school. And the world changed...
Boys made fun of the child for sitting with crossed legs. And for wanting to play with the girls.
For the child was a boy...