What do we all learn as we grow up? The blue is for a boy and pink is for a girl, isn’t it? But some parents now choose to raise their child as neutral in terms of gender. It is an unconventional approach that is being debated constantly. However, if you think you’re going the same route with your own child, you should bear in mind a few things. Let’s discuss a few details below on gender-neutral parenting that can help you decide whether or not this is the right approach for your child.
What is Gender Neutral Parenting?
Gender-neutral parenting occurs when parents raise their child, without forcing preconceived gender standards and allowing them to decide which one for the rest of their life they prefer. This allows the child not to be placed in a box and to grow up according to the traditional rules of gender.
Effects of
Gender Neutral Parenting
on Children
The most common question is how gender-neutral parenting is going to affect children? Let’s take a look at a couple of things to remember:
1. Impact on Sexuality
The findings of the research show that homosexuality is due more to biology and genetics, rather than to the environment. Yes, 85 percent of gender-nonconforming children are heterosexual adults. Gender-neutral parenting is not as successful as you think.
2. Social Life
If your child goes to playschool or daycare, strict gender-neutral parenting is virtually impossible. It will only then be necessary if he is not in social circumstances with other children and is at home with you most of the time. This is because a gender-neutral kid’s dress sense or playful style will cause trouble for you and your children from his peers or parents of his classmates. It could even cause other children to threaten or tease.
3. Impact on Playtime
Gender-neutral parenting should not impact playtime as parents typically encourage their children to play with a wide range of toys or allow them to choose the toy they want to play with.
Pros Of Gender Neutral Parenting
- Gender-neutral children are more creative because they have freedom of expression and choice
- Children who have the ability to choose between’ Boy’ and’ Girl’ toys, regardless of gender, to enhance their insights and interests.
- They also have the opportunity to have more hobbies and interests.
- Your child can be who he really is, regardless of any restriction.
- Your child will become familiar with the opposite gender’s interests.
- Being gender neutral can increase the awareness and self-esteem of your child about identity.
- Kids who early in life get the freedom to make these choices are more likely to be optimistic and leaders than followers later.
- Gender-neutral children are more likely to be agents of gender equality in their own cultures and at school.
- Gender-neutral children grow up with the ability in any situation to never be biased or stereotyped.
- Gender-neutral kids don’t feel any extra pressure to make decisions they don’t know if they like it or not.
Cons Of Gender Neutral Parenting
- If the child is raised without the concept of gender, when they go to school and meet other children, they will become confused about their identity.
- To parents, avoiding all gender-specific pronouns at home like him, her, she or he will be difficult.
- Because of the surrounding society, there is no way to avoid gender in the future of the child and early exposure will help them decide who they are and what they want to be.
- Be careful not to slip into another’ type’ of your child. They are people, not’ gender-neutral kids.’
- You also need to be careful not to push your child into gender-neutral parenting.
- If a boy just likes blue and sports, it’s all right.
- Likewise, if your girl likes pink and princesses, that’s all right too.
Tips To Raise a Gender-Neutral Child?
Psychology of gender-neutral parenting can be difficult. Here are a few tips based on science:
1. Encourage Girls and Boys to Play Together
It is essential for children to play comfortably with the opposite gender, as this enables them to prepare themselves for future relationships at their workplaces, in their homes and in schools.
2. Avoid the Pink and Blue Themes
Be cautious to assign sexual stereotypes and emphasize the distinction between girls and boys. Never pair a girl with pink and a boy with blue This can change their thinking and conduct to adapt early on to standards. You should get gender-neutral children’s clothes and allow them to wear gender-neutral colors.
3. Don’t Eliminate Gender Entirely
Your objective should not be to eliminate gender but to encourage your child to pursue all interests, careers, and hobbies. You can better emphasize how irrelevant gender is in society by ensuring that their opportunities and choices are not restricted by gender.
4. Emphasis on the child as an independent person
Research has shown that a male and female brain has no differences. While both genders have biological differences, they have a combination of stereotypical things for both sexes in other ways. Focusing on your child as a single human, rather than anything that assigns gender, is therefore important.
Most significantly, the decision to raise a gender-neutral child should not be to make the child a sign of social change; it should be to free the child from any gender constraints to choose his or her own identity.
Also Read: Know How To Avoid Gender Stereotype
