Gender Neutral Children

                I personally have concerns about raising a child as gender neutral or genderless, like Storm. I just don't think there's enough data talking about the pros and cons for me to make a real stance on the topic, so I'm left with my opinion. While I agree that it's important for children to play with whatever toys they want or dress however they like, but completely ignoring the fact that gender exists doesn't seem positive for the child. Raising a gender neutral/genderless child is also not an easy task. To raise a child this way, the parents have to vary their tasks so that the child doesn't begin to pick up that mommy does these things while daddy does these things. To raise your child without outside influence of gender, the child would pretty much have to live in isolation; the child can't go to the store or they would get some sort of gender influence from other shoppers or the products around them. They couldn't go out and make friends, leaving the child unable to make social connections and develop properly socially. Even at holidays with family members, the family could possible slip and reveal something about gender identity and the child. It's near impossible to raise a child completely genderless or gender neutral while still maintaining proper social development. Also, if your child has no idea of gender and they go to school, they're going to be very confused about what the other boys and girls are wearing and how they're acting, in addition to not even being able to socialize with their peers since they never developed those skills. There is also possibility of the child being bullied since they're not like the other kids (http://www.parents.com/parenting/gender-neutral-parenting/).

                Marly Pierre-Louis attempted to raise her child as gender neutral, but she quickly learned that it was easier said than done. She had friends and family poking at her belly asking her baby boy to come out, often expressing how excited they were to "play sports" with the little "champ." As soon as their son was born she was bombarded with "boy" clothes from family and friends, clothes in shades of blues and greens with words like "sports," "champ," "superhero," "all-star," and things of that sort. She planned to balance the boys clothes with girls clothes, skirts and dresses or frilly things in pinks and purples. It turned out that a so called "progressive parent" as herself found it difficult to put her son into a dress. If he asked, she expressed that it was easier, but her putting her son in a dress was not as easy as she expected. Hey, she has years and years of expected gender norms weighing on her and her reputation as a good parent at stake. She found that gender-bending doesn’t have to be about making her son “dress like a girl,” but more about keeping his gender identity and worldview fluid and free of restrictions, leaving him able to dress as freely and enjoy what he chose  (http://www.mommyish.com/2014/02/17/raising-a-gender-neutral-child/a).    

                Overall, I think it's important for the child to decide things for themselves, whether it be the clothes they wear, the way they act, the way they want their hair, the toys they play with, or whatever it may be. I think that teaching children what gender is, but not forcing them to comply to gender norms is important. Sending a child out into the world with no understanding of gender could have negative effects in our society that heavily values gender and gendered things.  Children also need structure of some sort or else they enter the world thinking they can do whatever they want, and teaching sex and gender might be more beneficial to them and lead them to have a general understanding of life.