What’s the Big Deal With Gendering Babies?

What’s the Big Deal With Gendering Babies?

When it comes to raising a child, each parent has their own philosophy on what to teach their child about the world. So how can we help new and expecting parents navigate their decision-making when it comes to gender? 

What’s The Big Deal With Gendering Babies?

To put it simply, a baby’s sex and gender are widely different entities. The sex is their anatomical predisposition, while the gender is who the baby is conditioned to identify as. Gender is highly dependent on the environmental conditioning and social norms built around a certain gender. Not every child of the female sex will identify as a girl, and vice versa. 

So it’s important to raise your children in an environment that is versatile and inclusive for everyone. So they can grow up and know who they identify as, without being pre-labeled.

How Can We Create A Gender Neutral Environment?

Since our society is very gendered, it might come as a bit of a challenge to be parents to a gender-neutral child. Here are some tips that might help:

• Recognize the gender bias you’ve been conditioned to believe over the years, and actively try to unlearn them. Get rid of the toxic ‘boys don’t cry’ or ‘girls take care of the home’ or ‘girls don’t play sports’ and ‘only boys play soccer’ culture 

• Get both girl and boy toys and clothes for your child and see what they develop a liking to

• Use gender-neutral pronouns when addressing your child

• Speak to other parents that have or are raising gender-neutral babies

• Lobby with schools and daycare centers to be inclusive and gender-neutral

• And most importantly, keep an open mind and just be supportive no matter what your child identifies as

When To Get Started?

According to experts, gender-neutral parenting should start as early as possible. We know that kids are greatly shaped by early life experiences. When we start labeling them from day one, they develop a mindset to grow into the label.

Instead, try to be gender-neutral from day one, dress them in gender-neutral onesies, and get them all kinds of toys. As they grow older, let your children choose their own clothes and toys or observe what excites them and inspires them, and just be supportive of it.

It’s not going to be easy to unlearn patterns around gender roles that we’ve been taught since the beginning. But as long as you play an active role in making sure your child has an inclusive environment to thrive in, you’re doing great!

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