Saturday, October 10, 2009
A cruel gender experiment
BY REBECCA CHRISTIAN
http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=259535Is Pop male or female? Only his or her diaper changers know for sure. "Pop" is the false name young Swedish parents have given their 2-year-old to protect its identity as they go public with their quest to keep its gender a secret, even from the child. Pop's mom says, "We want Pop to grow up more freely and avoid being forced into a specific gender mold from the outset. It's cruel to bring a child into the world with a pink or blue stamp on their forehead."
If she thinks that's cruel, wait until Pop goes to kindergarten and wets his/her pants because he/she isn't sure whether to go to the boys or girls room; likely the other kids will hop on Pop. Johnny Cash singing "A Boy Named Sue" should be the soundtrack for this story. At least it's a good thing that Pop is a false name: The wee thing's mother is pregnant again, and it boggles the mind to think what she might name the second child otherwise: "Snap"? "Crackle"? "Mom"?
