Gender Neutral Children

            Beck Laxton and Kieran Cooper had a baby named Sasha that they have raised from infancy to five years of age as gender neutral.  The parents did not want to know the sex of the baby right after birth, but ended up asking the doctors 30 minutes later.  The couple named their child Sasha, a name acceptable as both male and female.  Sasha is often times referred to as “the infant” so that no gender is indicated.  “The infant” was raised neither as a boy or a girl and is encouraged to play with dolls as much as Legos.  Sasha sleeps in a neutral yellow colored bed room and can wear just about anything he likes from girl dresses to boys’ clothes.  Beck and Kieran claimed they want to avoid stereotyping and state it sound “fundamentally stupid.”   

            After reading this article, my first reaction was that it is ultimately up to the parents how they want to raise their child.  Although I may not agree with this decision, it is not up to the public to decide the optimal way Sasha should be raised.  Doctors have stated not enough research has been conducted to suggest that being raised gender neutral will have any immediate or long-term psychological consequences for a child.  However, last year, Canadians Kathy Witterick and David Stocker raised a baby named Storm as a gender-neutral child.  A U.S. child pshychiatrist stated he was disturbed that these parents have been misguided.  Dr. Harold Koplewicz, states ‘When children are born, they’re not a blank slate.  We do have male brains and female brains. There’s a reason why boys do more rough and tumble play; there’s a reason why girls have better language development skills”

            Overall, I feel that parents have the right to raise their children gender neutral as long as the children learn to respect themselves as individuals.  I undoubtedly think Sasha will face hardships growing up because the stereotype of male or female is so ingrained into society.  Although, the public cannot dictate how families should raise their children.  If the parents want to challenge and overcome the influence of male and female stereotypes, it is ultimately their decision.