To think DS can like "girly" things without being transgender?

[Sherbety]

5 year old DS tends to go for the sort of toys that are known as "girly", lol dolls, barbies, anything unicorn related. He usually plays with girls on the playground and spends a lot of time with his cousin which is where he discovered most of these. His hair just about reaches his shoulders and he loves it, he has been mistaken for a girl a few times. SIL is convinced that he's transgender because of this, can't he simply like what he likes and be a boy? Her view seems to be that men and women must like certain things according to their gender. The other day we were over at her house, boys were playing football outside whilst my niece and DS were playing with dolls, SIL suggested he goes outside and plays football because all the boys were doing it, he hates football and she knows that. I just find her behaviour towards this as very odd

When DS (now 6ft 2 19 year old) was younger he loved playing with Polly Pocket. I bought him several of the sets. DM, however, decided he needed a toy gun to play with, coz, you know... he needs to know he's a boy!

He's grown up just fine.

Perhaps your son will grow up feeling that he was born in the wrong body and want to change. Or perhaps he’s a boy who doesn’t define his sex and identity as narrowly as his auntie.

This seems appropriate

Show her the Let toys be toys website

lettoysbetoys.org.uk/

c1 don’t start with all the nonsense.
Op agree with all the others. Your sil probably just reads the Guardian. Let your boy crack on with whatever he’s into and don’t let sil be influencing him.

All the guardian readers I know don't buy into the toxic crap of certain things being for girls or boys

The guardian believes in many dodgy things; this being one of them. Check out the feminist boards.

Guys don't you know the progressive view now is that if you don't act in a very gendered/stereotypical way you are automatically trans? If a boy is playing with dolls he has been born in the wrong body. Obvs. Some say this is an extremely regressive viewpoint which rather than being freeing is actually very old fashioned, but people think that because they're bigots.

Jesus wept, my nephew played with a pink buggy and doll for about two years and as a teen is now playing rugby at the highest level and is mortified if you mention the buggy. Let kids be kids and don’t worry . My own ds loves a teddy and doll and dancing around to music and I just let him at it.

I’m not quite sure how we got from “wow! girls can play with cars etc” to “only boys play with cars” so quickly without an obvious de-feminist revolution.

It’s incredibly regressive to label toys, but this desire for a clear gender divide does seem to be hardwired into some elements of the human psyche, judging from the problems trying to get past it seems to cause. I wonder is it media influence? Who knows.

It’s actually sad that people are coming up with examples to “prove “ this thinking is wrong rather than just having the confidence to call it out.

I honestly believe it's a daft small minority who are pushing the line that any gender non-conformity = trans though. The vast majority of people won't label it and will consider it quite normal.

If you want to know where this stuff is coming from, this (short) video is an insight into the kind of utter rubbish pediatric gender experts are coming out with:

vimeo.com/185149379

YADNBU!

my ds spent a solid year playing with dolls when he was 3 or 4. It makes him an even more lovely boy!

Trans fans hate gays and hate women
their Stepford attitudes should not be accepted