Parents keep child's gender secret

**Jenna** · 05-27-11, 03:49 PM

The name 'Storm' may be gender-neutral, but it is also listed as a synonym for controversy. And at just 4 months old, blond-haired, blue-eyed Storm and his Canadian family have stirred a parenting debate still brewing across continents.
Kathy Witterick, 38, and David Stocker, 39 are parents raising three children in Toronto. They feel children are pressured at far too tender an age by strict social norms of gender.
And so, as a remedy, they felt it was better to keep the youngest child's gender a secret -- even from the grandparents.
According to a front-page article in the Toronto Star last week, the only ones who know the baby's gender are the couple's sons -- Jazz, 5, and Kio, 2 -- a close family friend and two midwives present at delivery.

More here: Boy or a girl? It's a secret -- and an international controversy - CNN.com

**Ducky** · 05-27-11, 05:29 PM

We don't live in a gender neutral society. That said, kids should be kids, not miniature adults. I always played with my brothers' toys, and Barbie was relegated to the role of hostage. Let the kid decide if they want to be a girly-girl or a tomboy, gentle or the "all-boy" wild child. Parents trying to force or deny aspects of the kid's personality is just denial of a huge and selfish nature.

**ms1600** · 05-27-11, 05:58 PM

It's a man, baby! {insert picture of Austin Powers here}

**MacLean** · 05-27-11, 06:56 PM

Damn hippies.

**cwtlady** · 05-27-11, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by Ducky

We don't live in a gender neutral society. That said, kids should be kids, not miniature adults. I always played with my brothers' toys, and Barbie was relegated to the role of hostage. Let the kid decide if they want to be a girly-girl or a tomboy, gentle or the "all-boy" wild child. Parents trying to force or deny aspects of the kid's personality is just denial of a huge and selfish nature.

Exactly.

**keith720** · 05-28-11, 09:18 AM

This child will grow up to be a societal reject because of the actions of these two "parents."

**luckyme** · 05-30-11, 07:29 PM

Right, wrong, or indifferent, I'm an NOT going to make my child an unwilling/unknowing participant in a social experiment. If the parents want to fight that battle, then fine have at it, but don't use your kids to do it.