Yes, but referring to someone as "he" or "she" does not equal stereotyping. Not everyone makes assumptions based on people's gender, in fact, from my experience, I would say most don't. It sounds like the parents just have a "holier than thou" attitude problem, which we see a lot in various different contexts, so I guess it's actually nothing new.
Society is actually very accepting of people who don't conform to stereotypes, as much as we like to think it isn't. And even so, what's actually wrong with conforming to stereotypes? Some girls like being girly girls and some boys like being boy boys, there's nothing wrong with that either.
I think parents should talk to their children and say it's okay to like what THEY want to like and not be concerned with other people's opinions. Children need to learn that there will always be people in life who will judge them and these are the people who don't matter; trying to remove any form of judgement just means the child isn't learning how to deal with it.
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Refering to a child as he or she
leads to sterotyping. Example: When I was little, people knew I was a girl, so exclusively bought me dolls and expected me to play 'girls games'. If they did not know my gender, they would not have expected me to do this. By refering to the boy as 'the infant' in public and to freinds stops other people expecting things of him.
Most people do make assumptions on gender. I would go as far to say almost everyone does, even sub conciously.
And if society is accepting of people who don't conform to sterotypes, what's wrong with this little boy's parents giving him the freedom to not conform?
I never at any point said there was anything wrong with conforming to sterotypes.
By referring to him as "the infant" they are effectively de-sexing him, as well as de-gendering him. Sex and gender are different. Assuming that a person will react differently to a child by knowing their biological sex is pretty off. Not all toys, for example, are 'gendered', there are plenty of toys that are marketed to both/neither.
He will have heard his parents referring to him as "the infant", which can't be very nice and he probably doesn't fully understand why.<!-- / message -->
I disagree that they are de-sexing him, as it doesnt remove his male parts. In my oppinion they are not de-gendering him because he knows he is a boy.
Just look around in the shops. At brithday cards. Watch people interact with young children. There is a distinct difference between things for girls and things for boys, and how people interact with both sexes.
Yes, gender neutral things exist, which is great. but that doesnt cancel out the fact that gender sterotyping goes on.
I understand your point about him hearing being called the infant, though. But is that really any different to people saying 'the baby/child/todler/kid'? which are useds regulalry. Also, unless the boy has been told it is 'wrong' for his parents to say the infant, it might not have any affect at all on him? and if it does, it might have been explained to him?
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