Good? Bad? Possible?

Blog Post Four

The social norm, when it comes to raising a child, is to distinguish whether the baby is a boy or a girl. People do this by they way they talk, what they say, how they are dressed, and more. After reading the articles assigned, I am shocked that people raise their children i a genderless environment. I never would have thought about it. In one article, it talks about how their children were exposed to many gender stereotypes in school. It would be impossible to keep your kids away from them. Radge said, “They tried some of them out, adopted some, discarded others” (2011, Bouzane). It is said to have had no effect on the children or the way they interact with others. From reading these articles, I feel like it is not possible for you to raise your child in a genderless environment. In my opinion, once they are exposed to gender stereotypes, it would make it harder for them to understand why boys are one way while girls act, dress, and display themselves differently. One family who decided to raise their child like this kept the gender a secret from everyone except for the immediate family and certain others. The parents of this child said, “Instead of dolls for girls and trucks for boys,” they decided that “anything goes” (2011, Koplewicz). They believe it is great for the children to express their gender creatively. This article raises one point I agree with, and “the fact is that gender differences are not all socially invented, and they’re not all chosen.” It is known that there is a difference in the way girls brains develop compared to boys. This can be confusing for a child and lead to other problems. Because of their choice in the way they dress and portray themselves, this can cause many problems due to what society thinks and believes. This is when it is up to the parent to decide what is best for their child.