Couple raise child as 'gender neutral' to avoid stereotyping
Discussion
Story here...
Ye Gods!
Article said:
Beck Laxton, 46, and partner Kieran Cooper, 44, decided not to reveal baby Sasha's gender to the world so he would not be influenced by society's prejudices and preconceptions.
They referred to their child as "The Infant" and only allowed him to play with "gender-neutral toys" in their television-free home.
For the first five years of his life Sasha alternated between girls' and boys' outfits, leaving friends, playmates and relatives guessing.
But the couple have finally revealed his sex after it became harder to conceal when Sasha started primary school.
Yesterday Miss Laxton, a web editor, said that she thought gender stereotyping was "fundamentally stupid".
What a wonderful start to life by such thoughtful parents!They referred to their child as "The Infant" and only allowed him to play with "gender-neutral toys" in their television-free home.
For the first five years of his life Sasha alternated between girls' and boys' outfits, leaving friends, playmates and relatives guessing.
But the couple have finally revealed his sex after it became harder to conceal when Sasha started primary school.
Yesterday Miss Laxton, a web editor, said that she thought gender stereotyping was "fundamentally stupid".
Ye Gods!
Where and when I was born, East London in the immediate post war period, there was a tradition of dressing up kids up to the age of around 18mnths in 'gender neutral' clothes. These were more or less dresses but, of course, as lots of kids wore them they became neutral. Rumour had it that this this was fundamentally Scottish - from an uncle from Berwick who reckoned he was Scottish - but it has since been claimed for Ireland (there was a big group of Irish where I lived) as an attempt to save on baby clothes.
Whatever the source, you could not tell a baby's sex by the clothes. Mothers often used a blue or pink bow or some such but a lot didn't bother. It was only later, as kids tended to behave differently depending on their sex, that clothing changed but even then the 'tom boys', i.e. girls who liked to play more boisterous games, tended to wear trousers. The big divide was starting school.
So there's nothing new under the sun. The only difference with parents in those days is that they didn't make a big thing of it and go running to the press to prove how cool they were. And, of course, in those days kids were not seen as something to experiment with but to endure.
Whatever the source, you could not tell a baby's sex by the clothes. Mothers often used a blue or pink bow or some such but a lot didn't bother. It was only later, as kids tended to behave differently depending on their sex, that clothing changed but even then the 'tom boys', i.e. girls who liked to play more boisterous games, tended to wear trousers. The big divide was starting school.
So there's nothing new under the sun. The only difference with parents in those days is that they didn't make a big thing of it and go running to the press to prove how cool they were. And, of course, in those days kids were not seen as something to experiment with but to endure.
Hugo a Gogo said:
I don't think it's such a huge deal
no worse than the dumb b
h I overheard in the Dr's waiting room, telling her daughter not to play with the lego, because it was for boys
But that's just it. Our girls have fairy dresses, doll houses and the rest because they asked, begged and pleaded. But they've also got train tracks, building blocks and loop-de-loop car sets.no worse than the dumb b
h I overheard in the Dr's waiting room, telling her daughter not to play with the lego, because it was for boysThey certainly haven't needed any help from us to decide they prefer the "girly" toys.
I agree it was ridiculous for the bint you refer to make those comments, but why restrict a child to "gender-neutral" toys (WTF are those anyway?)
A child will make up its own mind if allowed to. I played with my younger sister's dolls and tea-set, but always went back to my cars and boats and the destruction of the Lego city of Babylon without any encouragement from the parentals.
Pints said:
Eric Mc said:
Their child.
Their decsion.
End of story.
If you think things actually work like that, you may be more naive than I've given you credit for.Their decsion.
End of story.
Social services exist to protect children from parents who either don't know better or just don't care.
And they are necessary in certain circumstances.
Is this one of those circumstances?
At what point should the state start intervening in the upkeep of a child?
I wasn't being naive. I was actually hoping to prompt a response such as yours as there is a genuine debate to be had as to when and where parental control should be taken over by the state.
Eric Mc said:
Their child.
Their decsion.
End of story.
I'm not sure that is that case. The child has rights and I would suggest one of those rights is not to be experimented upon. This couple seem to think that they have invented a new way to bring up children. Well good for them. Have they had it assessed, talked to others, worked out the pitfalls? If not then I would suggest that there is no 'end of'.Their decsion.
End of story.
Another right I would have thought the child might have appreciated is not being used as media fodder.
Gender stereotyping is a buzz word, one for which the definition has not yet been settled. There seems little doubt that there are differences between men and women, boys and girls. Failing to take these into consideration in bringing up a child would seem a pointless risk. Some might want the sexes to be all the same but that will not happen. There are psychological and pysiological differences. Playing at being clever is not perhaps the best idea when a child is involved.
This is not a case of allowing the child to develop on its own. It is pushing him. What on earth is a gener-neutral toy? Is a car macho and a horse girly? Why not let him decide what he wants to play with?
End of? I don't really think so.
I think they are trying to breed a serial killer 
Joke
Hmmm
"I don't think I'd do it if I thought it was going to make him unhappy"
and this
"We wanted to challenge gender stereotypes and so if Sasha wants to dress up in girls' clothes then so be it. But we are not forcing it.
yet
has been banned from sporting combat trousers
no not forcing anything, its all his/her its choice.
their kid its up to them but they are obviously mental yogurt weavers
JokeHmmm
"I don't think I'd do it if I thought it was going to make him unhappy"
and this
"We wanted to challenge gender stereotypes and so if Sasha wants to dress up in girls' clothes then so be it. But we are not forcing it.
yet
has been banned from sporting combat trousers
no not forcing anything, its all his/her its choice.
their kid its up to them but they are obviously mental yogurt weavers
Edited by Pesty on Saturday 21st January 10:17
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