Genderless: What makes a girl? What makes a boy?


I read an article about a pre-school that strives to treat the children in a genderless way, no use of the pronouns "she" or "he" or "him" or "her", and no pink vs. blue color schemes. The goal of the school is to allow the children to be who they are, without falling into gender stereotypes. This comes close after the stories broke of the couple who has a genderless baby.

I understand where this comes from, the idea of not forcing children into a rigid gender box of "girls do this, and boys do that." I don't think the problem with society is the fact that there are two gender's, but rather that those two genders have been traditionally squeezed into strict boxes.

Men and women are different. The biology of the bodies between the two are different. There is a difference between the two. We are built with different body parts from one another. Rather than pretend there is no difference between boys and girls/men and women, we should allow more room for what it means to be a part of either group. Why can't boys like pink? Why can't girls play with toy tricks?

It is the constraints that are placed on gender that is the problem, not gender identification itself.

2 comments

  1. It's like ignoring race, or sexuality. We're different in so many ways and it's OK to be different, but you're right... it's not OK to shove people into these 'different' boxes. The people I have the most respect for are the ones who do what they want without second thought to what gender is supposed to be doing those things or thinking those things. It shows confidence to be who you are despite society telling you that's not how you should be.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Its not a box! You are born a girl or boy. Boys like pink ie. pink Polo shirts. Girls drive semi-trucks. Girls can do what boys do and boys can do what girls do. That is not what this is about. Its about letting them decide if they want to be a boy or girl which is complete BS. Confusing and thus creates some type of social reject. Choosing to be a boy or girl, realistically is a decision God makes...not some teacher who has their own identity crisis.

    ReplyDelete

Professional Blog Designs by pipdig