Rude to ask if someone is a boy or a girl?

Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DS 7 comes home from camp and tells me he doesn't know if XX is a boy or a girl. "Did you see XX? He sounds like a boy and acts like a boy but when we went swimming he put on a bikini so I guess he's a girl?" XX has an androgynous name. I told DS it doesn't matter if XX is a boy or a girl. Sometimes people who seem like boys are really girls and sometimes boys like to wear girl's clothing. Just play with them if you like them. DS 7: Ok, but I'm going to ask XX if he's a boy or a girl. Me: No, don't do that. DS7: Why not? Me: It's rude. DS7: But how will I know whether to call them a boy or a girl? Me: ummm....Just call them XX. DS7: (doubtfully) ok....

In preschool, there was a child who presented as a male one year and then as a female the next year. The teachers told the kids that this child is a girl now even though last year it seemed like she was a boy. My DS asked me about that too and I was able to say that he should refer to this child by the female name we were told and treat her as a girl. I was impressed at how little concern the kids had over it (the parents were a bit ruffled, but kids were fine). In that instance, I had been told what to do so it was easy.

Here, I wasn't sure whether DS should ask whether XX is boy or girl (is that like asking about which pronoun a person prefers?) or whether DS should kind of ignore the whole thing as being personal (like asking someone's race would be inappropriate?) and focus only on whether he likes playing XX or not. I also wasn't sure if I should raise the option that XX doesn't identify as boy or girl?

DCUM, educate me, please in case this comes up again.


Sorry, but that kid's parents are idiots.


Do you know them? Do you know anything about this family? If it's the family I think it is, then they are extremely caring and have done the right thing by their daughter, including speaking to many experts. Not "allowing" a trans child to transition leaves the child at a very high risk of suicide by the time he or she reaches their teens.


A preschool kid is just a kid.

He or she does not identify as anything.

Sometimes they think they are firefighters. Sometimes they think they are puppies. Or princesses. Or mickey mouse. Or a Ninja.

The rest is just fashion.

Mom and dad are idiots to put this on a toddler just out of diapers.

This is about the 3 year old's parent either having an agenda or wanting to be cool. This is selfish and not at all about the child and his or her needs.


Kids who consistently insist they are a different gender from the preschool years are transgender and should be accepted as such. I recommend you watch Gender Revolution with Katie Couric.


The preschool child hasn't consistently insisted they are a different gender. They are still only in preschool.

My DS insisted he was a train consistently through all of PK4.


That's clear BS. No your child did not express that he was a train for a year. Yes, kids can consistently insistently express their gender as early as preschool. Like I said go watch Gender Revolution. And you may also want to read the research on this topic so that you know what you are talking about.
post reply Forum Index » Elementary School-Aged Kids
Message Quick Reply
Go to: