Link to the article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2089474/Beck-Laxton-Kieran-Cooper-reveal-sex-gender-neutral-child-Sasha.html
Sasha, a five year old from the UK was finally proclaimed to be a boy by his parents just over a week ago. For the first five years of Sasha's life, only a very select few were aware of his actual sex, and everyone else was left in the dark. With this decision, they've attempted to raise a child that is unaffected by gender stereotypes and allowed Sasha's interests to be uncensored and unguided by gender throughout his life. Sasha has chosen both boys' and girls' clothes so far and now that he is in primary school, is wearing the girls' shirt part of the uniform.
Though I find this concept of raising a child gender-neutral absolutely fascinating, I wonder if this is something that can actually work throughout Sasha's life. Though I think it's easy to mix gender as a young child, I think that this will become excruciatingly difficult once Sasha and his peers begin to reach puberty. Even though Sasha has been raised gender-neutral, will the onrush of hormones through puberty transform Sasha into an average male with masculine qualities? Or will the nature side of things be unable to best his neutral rearing and will he remain in a gender "gray area?" I think it's very progressive that these parents are trying to work outside the system and give their child a choice, but I have to be skeptical and wonder if this will make Sasha a comfortable, confident young adult, or set him up for an outrageously difficult life of confusion and questioning.
