Mistook a boy for a girl

[justmakemeacuppa]

Was in the park with the kids and my youngest was sat at the top of the slide while a kid was sat behind her. So as any parents would encouraged my kid to go down by saying the little girl at the back of you wants to go down the slide.
Kid then turns round and says I’m a boy! Was a bit taken off guard and didn’t really know how to reply other than sorry. This kid had lovely long blond hair tied up in a ponytail and baggy shorts which could have been mistaken for a skirt but it was the hair that made me think he was a girl.
So now I’m wondering have I just come across a gender fluid family? Does SHE want to be a boy are in fact is he a boy that just likes his blond hair ? I’m happy to go along with anyone’s choices in life but surely if he doesn’t want to be mistaken for a girl you’d not have a girls hair cut.? Or maybe mum doesn’t give him a choice as he did have lovely hair? He did seem upset I called him a girl though. Just mentioned it as I keep reading about people bringing their kids up gender neutral and wondering if this is going to become more of a thing letting kids decide their own gender.

This has to be a wind up!

Long blond hair and aaaaaaaalllll man

So now I’m wondering have I just come across a gender fluid family?
No, you have come across a boy with long hair

but surely if he doesn’t want to be mistaken for a girl you’d not have a girls hair cut.

Again, no. In many societies long hair is worn by males and females.

My 2nd husband has waist length blond curly locks and a girly appearance. He is not gender fluid just your average bloke.

My youngest DS has really long, blonde hair. It suits him, he has no desire to have it cut, and I'm not 'making a statement' (which is what my DF says I'm doing) or forcing him to be gender fluid or whatever. He's just got long hair. If he's mistaken for a girl, he'll say "I'm a boy" but it doesn't bother him. Nor does it bother his older brother, who's 9, and whose friends didn't bat an eyelid at a small monster with long hair when they all met him charging around the playground. One or two kids have asked him whether his bro is a girl, and he's said no, and they've made the statement of 'but he's got long hair...' DS tends to shrug and say, "yeah, so?"

I think it's so interesting how I've always assumed clothing said more about whether a small child was a boy or a girl. It so isn't clothes - I really think it's hair. He can be wearing his t-shirt with EPIC DUDE emblazoned across the front and people will still think he's a girl. But that's fine, he's not bothered, I'm not bothered, and I definitely didn't let it grow because I want him to be a girl. If he wants it cut short, we'll do that.

Easy solution OP - just say 'child'. It does sound like you were more bothered by the exchange than he was, tbh.

I'm cracking on in years but I'm pretty unmoved by seeing a boy with long wavy blonde hair. I've seen enough long-haired boys and men to not have any curiosity on the subject. It just is. On occasion, with children and younger adults, I've not been all that sure of the sex so I wait for some sort of clue. I saw an old friend in town once who I'd not seen for years, accompanied by her child. "And what's your name?" "Simon". Sorted.

My toddler son has long hair, to below his shoulders, that I tie up in bobbles and clips, and plaits and buns. He has 'pretty' facial features and wears bright, clothes and leggings. 100% of people think he is a girl, and I couldn't care one bit. Unfortunately our need to use pronouns so regularly means with children in playgrounds we have to take a guess based on stereotypes, even those of us who think gender is bullshit. So I'm completely ok with people getting it wrong on a daily basis. I mostly don't even correct unless I have to. I'm not trying to raise him 'gender fluid' I'm trying to raise him and his sisters with minimal stereotypes.

I have 4 DSs, one has beautiful hair down to his waist. As my son says, he doesn't have girl hair, it's boy hair because he's a boy. He often gets mistaken for a girl and usually just smiles. He is very happy to be a boy, he just likes having long hair. We have another DS who does actually want to be a girl, but doesn't have long hair anymore exactly because people kept making stupid comments. I'm happy if they're happy.
We sometimes talk about numpties who believe in stereotypes based on outdated ideas of gender and the role of the patriarchy in modern society. I'm embarrassed for you that my 6 year old son can spot a gender stereotype from a mile off and you have no clue.

My son has long hair. He's a boy. He will always be a boy. He has always been a boy.

You do understand, don't you, that having long hair isn't some form of castration that turns boys into girls?

So now I’m wondering have I just come across a gender fluid family? Does SHE want to be a boy are in fact is he a boy that just likes his blond hair ?

Seems more likely he was an actual boy with long hair. It can be hard to sex young children, why are you so sure he was a girl?

but surely if he doesn’t want to be mistaken for a girl you’d not have a girls hair cut.?

It’s not a girl’s haircut. Unless you buy into gender stereotypes?

Please tell me this is a joke.

My boy was mistaken for a girl the other day, because he had a purple coat on (and apparently purple is a girl colour). He's not gender fluid, he's very adamantly a boy - he just happens to love bright colours including pink and purple!

Your really over thinking this. He's a boy.

As a little girl I had short hair, and was constantly being called “son” or similar, particularly in summer when I wore shorts and t-shirts a lot. This was the late 70s, and I simply had short hair. I don’t think my mum would know what gender fluid meant even if I asked her now.

I’m happy to go along with anyone’s choices in life but surely if he doesn’t want to be mistaken for a girl you’d not have a girls hair cut.?

WTAF??

What an odd thread. Wonder if the OP returns.

WTactualF?! He was a boy, with long hair.

My toddler son has long hair, to below his shoulders, that I tie up in bobbles and clips, and plaits and buns...I'm trying to raise him and his sisters with minimal stereotypes.

bobbles and clips, and plaits and buns You’re chosing hairstyle and accessories stereotypically associated with girls. Setting people up to get it wrong by using stereotypical cues

Minimal stereotypes would be not using bobbles and clips, and plaits and buns on a boy or girl. You’d eschew such items in favour of more neutral.youre not being minimal

My son chose to have his hair long when he was about 7. Because he wanted to look like Legolas. Nothing to do with gender fluidity. He just liked having long hair.

He could be wearing jeans and a typical khaki boys' top (god I hate the way children's clothes are so bloody stereotyped these days). You'd still get adults assuming he was a girl

It wasn't other children who were the problem - it was continual comments from adults which made him eventually ask me to cut his hair even though he liked it.

For future reference just say "oops, silly me, sorry" then move on.

I think the OP was hoping for a bit of Daily Mail baiting ‘It’s political correctness gone maaaaaad!’ hoohah - and has no retreated from the thread with her tail between her legs because most people have just said ‘Don’t be daft, it was a boy with long hair’.

Can you really have never seen a male person with long hair?

Welcome to the new dark ages.

A male?!?! With long hair?!?!?!
Goodness me OP, whatever will they think of next?!?!