Storm: A Risky Social Experiment?

I personally think that the child will probably be quite confused when he starts going to school. Many children of the same gender (especially in the younger years) play with the same toys etc. He could be a victim of bullying or become an "outsider" in the classroom. It seems to me like the parents of this child are using their child as a sort of science experiment which does not seem right to me. However, I think that the parents should be allowed to choose what they think is best for their child.

I think this is a tricky situation. I'm all for letting your child figure out who they are but what's going to happen when they get older? I think if Storm identifies with one gender but is the other that it is going to be confusing and tough for him/her to adapt. Another example of not permitting gender to influence personality would be Shiloh Jolie-Pitt. Brad and Angie let Shiloh dress and act how she wants to and currently she wants to dress and act like a boy. Does that mean she's going to be a boy when she gets older, I don't know, but for now its who she wants to be and it will be interesting to see what gender she ultimately decides to go with.

I think that the parents have a good intentions for Storm, but I also believe that raising a gender neutral child will only result in negative consequences. The child will be at risk of discrimination and abuse by other children because "it" will not be able to identify with a certain group. During the young years of schooling, children often form into groups based on gender. In addition, considering the development side of the issue, it is important for a child to be able to have a sense of self and create his/her own identity and begin to relate to the world and society.

Yeah pretty difficult situation here. I think that it's great and all that the family is doing this and letting their kid eventually decide it's gender in the world, but it's going against the grain of the normality of what's been done for hundreds of years. Personally I think that this is a great idea and all, but not a lot of people are going to support it because they think in the traditional way. It's just another way of thinking outside the box and trying to break society rules and norms.

I believe that it is very unfortunate that gender plays such a huge role in society and wish that it didn't. I think that the parents have the best of intentions and in that sense, i think that they should be able to go forward with this experiment. My hopes are this child will have lots of support from people in his community. If this became 'okay' in society, hopefully more people could start giving their child the freedom to grow up without a set 'identity' and let them form their own opinions in the years to come.

There's a different between gender and sex. I personally think that this is taking gender identity a little too far. In all honesty, there are many ways in which parents can be supportive of their children and their choices, and not confine them to the tradition gender normative roles (like girls like barbies and boys like trucks). I think its more a stunt than anything, as its been nationally broadcast for all to read about.

I think this is a bad idea. I think the child will get teased in school and be confused about who he or she is. I think the parents are taking it a step too far, but it is their choice. If they think that what they are doing is what is going to be the best for the baby, that's fine. If, on the other hand, the parents are doing this to see what will happen, then what they are doing is wrong. Why couldn't they just let the child know what he or she is, and then tell it that it can be whatever it wants to be and promote openness?

This does seem like a pretty risky social experiment. Though it does seem to tackle the roles of gender and gender identity that is quite prevalent in society today, Storm's well-being needs to be considered. In a world where gender roles are fairly concrete (at least at an early age), Storm may have some incredible identity issues growing up.
However, it is also quite possible that Storm will instinctively know what his/her role in society is. In the textbook, the reference an experiment where they give monkeys of different gender toys to play with. The monkeys seemed to follow gender lines similar to humans; the boys seemed to play more destructively and the girls played with the dolls, showcasing a nurturing persona. So it seems these gender roles are implemented into us before we're even born, with environment playing a minor role.

This "issue'' of gender equality that presented when asked to submit an opinion about the freedom of gender identification plays a major role in this experiment. I child knows no better when it comes to issues that will arise concerning how they identify themselves and a parents intentions of letting their child do this are, in my opinion, are inappropriate. Now, I understand what their intentions are good and I agree that they should be able to such things, but this is to say that the effects of bullying, discrimination, and violence are not present. To do such an experiment on your very own child is simply opening their life to a lot of insufferable acts. Again, I understand these are not a parents intentions but they need be highly regarded when making such a rational decision in promoting the freedom of gender identification. It's great idea, however, it is a great set of consequence that follow but then again, that's society.

Yikes. I think this is a disaster waiting to happen, and I feel bad for Storm. I understand the parents' point, but there is a biological reason why we have societal expectations. Gender roles exist to help a male or female find a mate. Not only that, but kids aren't very nice to nonconformists. The playground or cafeteria can be a cold, cruel world, and it's not worth estranging your child just so they can discover things on their own. It's an interesting idea, and it may look good to the parents on paper, but realistically, I think the cons here way outweigh the pros.

It's funny because I was actually telling someone about this experiment today. I don't think I personally would ever choose to do an experiment like this, but I can see why the parents of this child chose to make this decision. In our world and our society today, there are so many social norms, expectations, and gender identities that are set in stone. Many people are not too flexible with the fact that gender is not a one or the other type of thing. Someone should have the choice to choose how they would like to express themselves and what gender they would like to be. This child, although could eventually be confused, might have the ability to then be the person they really are meant to be.

This is such an interesting, and probably, heated topic as well. I think that there are clearly biological differences between the sexes. Rather than ignoring them and viewing them as negative, we should embrace them. Refusing to let Storm know his/her identity is quite unfair to her/him. Rather than ignoring the baby's true sex, I think the parents should allow her/him to be whoever he/she wants to be. Give him/her both trucks and dolls. Certainly down the line others will find out what the sex is, so why bother with the whole thing anyway? Seems like a useless experiment that puts this kid through a lot of media attention and unnecessary awkwardness (think of school and peer situations). Humans are not lab rats! Great post, and thanks for sharing!