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Teaching toddler non-binary pronouns without teaching gender stereotypes - help!

129 replies

Glycerinstrawberry · 22/11/2022 12:50

My 3 year old is largely using sexed pronouns correctly, with the odd mistake, however two of her older cousins identify as non-binary and I'm really struggling how to explain their pronouns!

The family will want me to tell her that her cousins are neither boys nor girls, and thus use they/them, but my daughter can see that they are female and I don't want to be on her case correcting her when she's actually not making a linguistic mistake, it will upset her confidence and I feel like I'd be gaslighting her.

She knows the difference between boys and girls, I don't know how I can tell her they are neither without throwing that all into confusion and using stereotypes (which we avoid naturally).

Any tips? So far it's been largely avoided as she doesn't talk about them much, they are both early 20s but have not flown the nest and still come to all family things so it won't be an infrequent problem.

OP posts:
Clymene · 21/07/2023 20:59

Oh just realised this is a zombie thread.

SirVixofVixHall · 21/07/2023 21:00

lifeturnsonadime · 22/11/2022 12:53

I think this is awful.

Everyone has a sex. If your child says what she sees with her eyes then she's not being impolite. They are in their 20s they should realise that this concept is too difficult for a toddler and get over themselves.

This.

DyslexicPoster · 21/07/2023 21:06

I want my kids to respect and understand things but it's all age appropriately. As someone who's dc had language disorders I would go their as my dc said everyone was he. I don't envy you. I'd use their name and just correct like that "yes, Fred did... "
Any person taking offense at toddler not understanding non binary is a dick IMO

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IfLoveBelievesInMe · 21/07/2023 21:11

You could use they/them or their names. I wouldn't bother teaching a young child pronouns , they don't differentiate between sex and gender at that age and it isn't necessary.

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