The Gender Neutral Thread

[Alkali13]

I know there are a few other people on here not finding out the baby's gender, but I feel like we are such a minority!  Every day there are multiple "team" pink/blue threads, but I hardly ever see Team I'm Not Finding Out.  I don't want my little girl or boy being surrounded by gender expectations from birth (pink/blue, trucks/dolls, etc.).  I definitely understand the anticipation of knowing the gender, but I don't understand why there is so much importance placed on it.  Our parents most likely didn't even HAVE ultrasounds with us, lol.

I am NOT bashing people for finding out the gender, I just personally don't understand the fascination with designing everything for baby around biological sex.

Discuss.

[GeekMom1213]

Hahaha alkali I remember a thread a while back about someone asking whether she should decorate her daughter's room with pink zebra print or pink cheetah print. I replied "neither... she's a baby, her room shouldn't look like a stripper's closet"
The thread stopped dead right then, nobody wanted to try to argue that...

[Alkali13]

Exactly - I read an article earlier pointing that out...  It said something to the effect of seeing disappointment during the anatomy ultrasound when they are told "it's a boy/girl," but NEVER in the delivery room.

[Alkali13]

THANK YOU!  I absolutely agree...  The "Team Pink/Blue" stuff, the adjectives and descriptors people use to describe their unborn children, and I don't even want to get started on SOME of the baby clothes available...

[elvendork]

I've noticed that too! it really does change how everyone thinks about your child. and mom's being disappointed after their gender ultrasound
i can't imagine being disappointed by the gender when you are handed the baby after giving birth!

[Alkali13]

The rooms we were deciding between are bright robin's egg blue and tan, so we went with the tan one, ha ha.  It's the guest bedroom right now anyway, so it beats having to relocate the office.

And Coachsymons, Calvin is one of the names were are leaning towards for a boy (for Calvin and Hobbes).

[GeekMom1213]

Oh I think it absolutely does play into gender stereotypes when people find out early. Not for everyone but definitely for plenty of people it does. How many posts do you see about "my little princess" "my beautiful little girl" "my stubborn little man" dude these mamas are labeling these kids like crazy before they're even born. It creates expectations and judging and labeling what these children will become before the babies have had a chance to contribute anything to the process.