Interesting article re: Gender

melpfaff · May 2011

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110524/ts_yblog_thelookout/parents-keep-childs-gender-under-wraps

WDYT?

mz_zane · May 2011

This story is a perfect example of why gender and sex are not interchangable and in fact mean two different things. This child is either a female or a male, thats science, words which we have assigned the reproductive genitalia in order to differentiate, and keeping that information from the world isn't going to change his or her sex. As we have discussed before, his/her gender on the other hand, is completely open and possibly impressionable and will take years for this child to find out who he or she thinks they are.

Now, I get what the parents are trying to accomplish here, but its just ridiculous how they're going about it with the baby. If they don't want friends and family buying them sex-specific clothing/toys, well, thats why there's the neutral section. I think they are somewhat on the right path with allowing their older sons to pick out clothing from either the girls or boys section, I think thats great. But I think they also need to clearly explain social norms, including why the don't agree with them, so the children can confidently be who they are, instead of feeling upset about people confusing them for the opposite sex. As much as some of our tacit rules suck, like only girls like pink, ballet, and ponies and boys should only like trucks, dinosaurs, and baseball, our society needs those norms the majority agrees on to work fluidly. Giving this kid no guidance and just letting them figure it out without the outside world, is almost cruel I think and doing him/her more of a disservice than any good.

melpfaff · May 2011

I am with you. I think it should be more of a conversation for when the child is older. I can understand not agreeing with the stereotypes. In that case, they should encourage their child to pursue whatever interest they like or express to others they do not want gender-specific clothes or toys, etc. I agree it will be confusing.

telatovich · May 2011

My first thought was, "How Stupid!" I liked the one public comment that said, s/he could choose to be a palm tree - that wouldn't make it a palm tree. It either IS a a boy OR a girl... except for the few cases where genetically someone is not, but that's probably not the case here. I agree with this:

mz_zane:

But I think they also need to clearly explain social norms, including why the don't agree with them, so the children can confidently be who they are, instead of feeling upset about people confusing them for the opposite sex. As much as some of our tacit rules suck, like only girls like pink, ballet, and ponies and boys should only like trucks, dinosaurs, and baseball, our society needs those norms the majority agrees on to work fluidly. Giving this kid no guidance and just letting them figure it out without the outside world, is almost cruel I think and doing him/her more of a disservice than any good.

And I think that kids up to a certain age need their parents guidance with these things. A young child doesn't know WHAT they are, that's why they need parents and adults. I think the description of the family in the rest of the article make it very clear what kind of people they are.

Mrs. Mo · May 2011

mz_zane:

This story is a perfect example of why gender and sex are not interchangable and in fact mean two different things. This child is either a female or a male, thats science, words which we have assigned the reproductive genitalia in order to differentiate, and keeping that information from the world isn't going to change his or her sex. As we have discussed before, his/her gender on the other hand, is completely open and possibly impressionable and will take years for this child to find out who he or she thinks they are.

Now, I get what the parents are trying to accomplish here, but its just ridiculous how they're going about it with the baby. If they don't want friends and family buying them sex-specific clothing/toys, well, thats why there's the neutral section. I think they are somewhat on the right path with allowing their older sons to pick out clothing from either the girls or boys section, I think thats great. But I think they also need to clearly explain social norms, including why the don't agree with them, so the children can confidently be who they are, instead of feeling upset about people confusing them for the opposite sex. As much as some of our tacit rules suck, like only girls like pink, ballet, and ponies and boys should only like trucks, dinosaurs, and baseball, our society needs those norms the majority agrees on to work fluidly. Giving this kid no guidance and just letting them figure it out without the outside world, is almost cruel I think and doing him/her more of a disservice than any good.

I agree! I honestly think they are setting their kids up to be taunted at school. Kids are cruel and have no problem calling eachother mean names.

tarmar81 · May 2011

mz_zane:
This story is a perfect example of why gender and sex are not interchangable and in fact mean two different things. This child is either a female or a male, thats science, words which we have assigned the reproductive genitalia in order to differentiate, and keeping that information from the world isn't going to change his or her sex. As we have discussed before, his/her gender on the other hand, is completely open and possibly impressionable and will take years for this child to find out who he or she thinks they are.
Now, I get what the parents are trying to accomplish here, but its just ridiculous how they're going about it with the baby. If they don't want friends and family buying them sex-specific clothing/toys, well, thats why there's the neutral section. I think they are somewhat on the right path with allowing their older sons to pick out clothing from either the girls or boys section, I think thats great. But I think they also need to clearly explain social norms, including why the don't agree with them, so the children can confidently be who they are, instead of feeling upset about people confusing them for the opposite sex. As much as some of our tacit rules suck, like only girls like pink, ballet, and ponies and boys should only like trucks, dinosaurs, and baseball, our society needs those norms the majority agrees on to work fluidly. Giving this kid no guidance and just letting them figure it out without the outside world, is almost cruel I think and doing him/her more of a disservice than any good.

All of that was really, really well stated. I completely agree.

Interesting article re: Gender

Re: Interesting article re: Gender

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