I happen to know a professor who is raising her child gender-free, so to speak (the child is now old enough to know their sex, but is told that sex is irrelevant other than as it pertains to biological functions).There are actually many people raising children this way. No one–except for the obvious people such as day care providers, relatives, and her husband–knows the child’s sex, with the exception of a few of her close friends who have pretty much figured it out to due pronoun slip-ups here and there. We can’t tell from his/her name. We can’t tell from his/her clothes or photos she posts on Facebook. We can’t tell from the toys he/she plays with or the activities in which/he or she is involved.
1. The first part of your assignment is to read the following link and summarize it: https://www.forbes.com/sites/helenthomson/2017/10/30/10-science-backed-tips-for-bringing-up-your-child-gender-neutral/#a8943be98b80. IF YOU CANNOT OPEN THE LINK, COPY AND PASTE INTO YOUR BROWSER.
2. The second part of your assignment is to discuss what do you think of this parenting style. What do you think about parents, like this professor (and her husband), who are raising gender-neutral children? Be sure to use the terms Sex, Gender, Gender Dichotomy, and Gender Transgression in your response in MEANGFUL WAYS and underline each term. You need to contextualize these terms so well that it is clear to Dr. Chapman (your IA) and me that you know exactly what they mean. If we cannot tell that you know what they mean, we cannot give you credit for them. Here’s a tip: Pretend that the person reading your post doesn’t know anything about sociology or gender. Each term NOT properly used will lead to 10 points deducted.
