What is gender-neutral parenting and gender-free teaching for kids? New trends explained
More mums and dads are opting not to force gender stereotypes on their children
AN increasing number of parents and experts say we should adopt a “gender-neutral” approach to raising children.
While there are no fast rules about parenting - here is all you need to know about the growing issue and what leading experts have said.
What is gender-neutral parenting?
Gender-neutral parenting is about breaking away from the gender binary and exposing children to a variety of gender types and allowing them to explore.
There are different levels of gender-neutral parenting.
Parents who practice a relaxed form of gender-neutral parenting encourage their children to play with both "boy" and "girl" toys, keep clothing and room colour neutral or allowing children to pick their own clothes - even if that means their son goes to school dressed in pink.
Some schools are leading the drive for gender equality
Some parents take the extreme approach by raising their child "genderless".
Last year, a Swedish couple made headlines after announcing that they had decided to keep the gender of their young child, Pop, a secret from all but their closest family members.
There was a similar 2011 case in Canada with a baby called Storm.
What is gender-free teaching?
Gender neutrality is encouraged within the classroom to address pupils questioning their gender identity.
Highgate School, a top private school in North London, introduced gender-neutral uniforms including skirts for boys following a surge in transgender students.
According to the Sunday Times, over 2,000 under-18s were referred to the Gender Identity Clinic at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trusts in north London last year.
Other attempts to encourage gender neutrality in schools have involved not separating toys in gender-specific areas, not having gender-specific sports in PE lessons, having gender-neutral bathrooms, and a ban on certain phrases such as “ladies and gentlemen”, "boys will be boys" and "girls will be girls".
Who is Baby Storm?
Storm Stocker-Witterick made headlines in 2011 after parents Kathy Witterick and David Stocker decided not to publicly reveal the sex of their third child.
At the time, the Toronto-based couple wanted to let Storm decide what gender she wanted to identify with.
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According to the Toronto Star, Kathy and David wrote in an e-mail to friends and family they wouldn’t be announcing Storm’s sex.
It read: “A tribute to freedom and choice in place of limitation, a stand up to what the world could become in Storm’s lifetime (a more progressive place? …)."
Last year, at age five, .