Saw this headline, thought "It's GOT to be a Mumsnetter!"

[bupcakesandcunting]

Yeah, yeah, it's a Daily Mail article but still [[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1389593/Are-PC-parents-world-The-couple-raising-genderless-baby--protect-right-choice.html BWAH HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

They're coco loco, right? Surely no-one can say "fuck off, there's a dear" to THIS one?!

And again

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1389593/Are-PC-parents-world-The-couple-raising-genderless-baby--protect-right-choice.html

See here for the possibility that I might say "fuck off, there's a dear", but in a much nicer way

Mental. And how come they've assigned gender to the other kids?

No idea, Manic. The whole article made my brain ache.

While I wouldn't do it myself, I love the way they're raising their children without gender sterotypes. It's society that's screwed up, not these people. I doubt they'll be able to keep the secret long anyway.

Storm is a girl's name. it must be a girl

Coco bloody loco! Interesting thought but VERY misguided.

I hope all their kids grow up to be burly ice hockey players with no front teeth no matter what their gender.

You don't have to raise your children to conform to gender stereotypes but raising them as totally genderless is completely different. And impractical.

Also, WTF @ this in the DM article?:

Traditional ideas of gender were tested in the media recently when two major U.S. book retailers censored an image of androgynous male model Andrej Pejic 'in case customers confuse him for a woman'.

I really don't get that. Why does it matter?

storm is a boys name from my experience!

Look at Brad and Angelina's little Shiloh. She obviously prefers boys clothes/haircuts and they let her embrace it. I'm sure she knows she is a girl, though.

There's a wealth of difference in letting kids just be themselves and potentially confusing the poor buggers though.

But the child isn't genderless. At home they know what he/she is, the child knows, the siblings know. And they're all free to dress and behave as they choose. I love it!

No, I didn't get the Andrej Pejic thing, either. A bloke dressed androgynously. Whoo-hoo. Boy George was doing it thirty years ago. Why would it wind anyone up?

But bupcakes, the child will know what sex it is when it's old enough to discover its genitals for itself. The other children in the family know they're boys.

These parents aren't trying to hide the sex of the child from the child itself. They are trying to avoid gender stereotypes being forced upon it from birth, to allow it to choose its own identity.

They can behave and dress how they choose anyway, if they're so inclined. My DS loves pink and Hello Kitty. Fine by me. I don't like to pretend he is some genderless android though. And ultimately I don't see what they're going to achieve with it.

Completely agree, Reality.

Fruit loops.

I'm sorry but I think they are crazy.

It is one thing letting their sons wear what they want and choose when to cut their hair. So not reinforcing stereotypes. I could go along with this.

But in not saying what their childs gender is they are taking a step too far imho. They are just using their child to make a hugely publicised point which is, imho, totally and utterly wrong on all levels

Hmmmmm.

I'm not sure how I feel about this actually.

"These parents aren't trying to hide the sex of the child from the child itself. They are trying to avoid gender stereotypes being forced upon it from birth, to allow it to choose its own identity."

Well I think it's mince. Utter mince. Who will force these gender stereotypes on the child? Are they scared that as soon as the world at large finds out Storm is a boy (he is a boy) that someone is going to come along and try and train him as a cage wrestler or something? I am genuinely perplexed. Why not buy him toys aimed at both genders, clothes in all colours and let him choose? Kids make up their own mind anyway.

Other people have done this.

I don't think it is anything other than the parents using their child for an experiment.

It would be slightly better if the older child didn't have a gender identity. This is like 'we thought we'd give him one but thought we'd carry out a social experiment on you'

Dude, people do it all the time! As soon as you have a baby, it's "what did you have?", then out come the blue/pink clothes and toys. Pirate and princess stuff, Star Wars and Barbie... it never ends.