“Aww, you’re such a good … human.”
Those are the kinds of praises this little guy/girl is probably getting from its friends and family. I know whether I’m baby-talking to an infant, dog, cat, or petite lap giraffe, I tend to whip out the, “Who’s a good girl/boy?” So this situation would set me up to spill the beans.
If you haven’t heard about this yet, a Canadian family has decided to raise their baby, ambiguously named Storm, without a gender. Not surprisingly, this has provoked a negative uproar from psychologists and parents everywhere. The couple’s rationale? They want Storm to be able to decide for itself which gender he or she will choose. (Wow, I even feel bad calling an unborn baby an “it.” Here, we’re talking about a four-month old infant. I mean, just look at that cute little…person.)
Baby Storm -- I think it looks like a little boy, but it's really at the gender-neutral phase.
Of course, the parents, Kathy Witterick and David Stocker, know Storm’s gender, as well as its brothers Kio and Jazz. But they all make a point not to use the distinctions “boy,” “girl,” “he,” or “she” when talking to or referring to it. The couple wants their pristine newborn to remain untainted from gender stereotypes.
Many are applauding the parents’ desire to keep their baby free from the constraints of stereotypes, but most believe they’re going about it in the wrong way. Especially since infancy is a critical time in a child’s development. One child psychologist even said the parents are “creating, in some sense, a freak.”
The couple’s parenting techniques are being called into question in regards to their older children, as well. Both sons are allowed and encouraged to dress and act in any way they want, including wearing dresses and growing their hair long. (My computer froze for 20 minutes trying to add a picture, maybe I’ll add one later if it’s up and running.)
I wonder if even Lady Gaga would approve of leaving this baby in the dark in regards to its gender. After all, how’s it supposed to know which “way” it was born? Maybe what this couple is doing is the ultimate application of her “love yourself the way you are” declaration.
Here’s the popular excerpt from the e-mail the couple sent announcing their experiment to their family and friends:
We’ve decided not to share Storm’s sex for now — a tribute to freedom and choice in place of limitation, a stand up to what the world could become in Storm’s lifetime (a more progressive place? …).
Anyway, it’s ultimately the parents’ decision — No amount of outrage or speculation from people like me who have no bearing over their lives can change their decision. But, who cares, it’s still a heck of a talker.
What do you think?
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3 Comments
See, this leads me to question Storm’s eventual schooling. Is the child supposed to decided it’s gender by the time it reaches kindergarden? If it doesn’t decide by then… how will it know which bathroom to use, public facilities have rules that are built upon the binary of male – female. In order for Storm to exist in any public setting, Storm will have to chose at a young age. An age much younger than this sort of decision can be made at. Wouldn’t you agree?
(Also I think this whole thing is just a ploy by the parents to try to be famous.)
That’s a good point. The world is really built around gender distinctions, so you’d think it’d be pretty hard for the little guy/girl to function in society. I agree that the parents are definitely seeking some attention.
Also, I got super excited when I saw this, so thanks for making my day. I actually just yelled out, “Woo! I have a reader! And they left a comment!” You rock, Cullen.
Kaitlin. Grand Forks is a very dull city. I clearly need something to fill my time with.