Comments on: Boy or Girl? X: A Fabulous Child’s Story by Lois Gould http://tiltedworld.org/2009/07/22/boy-or-girl-x-a-fabulous-childs-story-by-lois-gould/ A Malaysian LGBT Community Project Sun, 20 May 2012 15:07:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: E http://tiltedworld.org/2009/07/22/boy-or-girl-x-a-fabulous-childs-story-by-lois-gould/comment-page-1/#comment-4389 E Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:01:26 +0000 http://tiltedworld.org/?p=1487#comment-4389 yes this really only works in a fictional setting... but really the point is that they were trying to raise a diverse, self assured well developed child. dont we all want that? not to be taken literally people! The point is the well being of the child. And while i agree that there are important gender based roles in society that because of different priorities are being neglected and society has suffered as a result. but if you look back in history most children boy or girl learned how to do everything.. not all but there have always been girls who learned to hunt and boys who learned to cook. its a matter of survival and adaptation. but now that we don't have these same survival needs we have all kinds of free time to explore the merits of forcing gender roles on our children. in reality there is a reason men are supposed to be out "providing" physiologically they are built to carry more muscle than women and women are built to have babies. so it makes sense that they are supposed to say home and raise/train the children and take care of the home.. while the men are out doing the physical farming,working,whatever. what ever happened to the phrase if its not broke don't fix it? this system has worked for thousands of years... and while i agree that women aren't property and are worth just as much as a man i don't believe that they are worth more than a man.. we have different roles and there for different worth's... equal yet different. and to clarify... I'm a woman... an American woman, very strong willed if you couldn't tell as well. but thats just my two cents yes this really only works in a fictional setting… but really the point is that they were trying to raise a diverse, self assured well developed child. dont we all want that? not to be taken literally people! The point is the well being of the child. And while i agree that there are important gender based roles in society that because of different priorities are being neglected and society has suffered as a result.
but if you look back in history most children boy or girl learned how to do everything.. not all but there have always been girls who learned to hunt and boys who learned to cook. its a matter of survival and adaptation. but now that we don’t have these same survival needs we have all kinds of free time to explore the merits of forcing gender roles on our children. in reality there is a reason men are supposed to be out “providing” physiologically they are built to carry more muscle than women and women are built to have babies. so it makes sense that they are supposed to say home and raise/train the children and take care of the home.. while the men are out doing the physical farming,working,whatever.
what ever happened to the phrase if its not broke don’t fix it? this system has worked for thousands of years… and while i agree that women aren’t property and are worth just as much as a man i don’t believe that they are worth more than a man.. we have different roles and there for different worth’s… equal yet different.

and to clarify… I’m a woman… an American woman, very strong willed if you couldn’t tell as well.

but thats just my two cents

]]> By: Ricardo Villa http://tiltedworld.org/2009/07/22/boy-or-girl-x-a-fabulous-childs-story-by-lois-gould/comment-page-1/#comment-4265 Ricardo Villa Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:13:35 +0000 http://tiltedworld.org/?p=1487#comment-4265 Great learning lesson about gender stereotype and society behavior Great learning lesson about gender stereotype and society behavior

]]> By: Joe http://tiltedworld.org/2009/07/22/boy-or-girl-x-a-fabulous-childs-story-by-lois-gould/comment-page-1/#comment-4209 Joe Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:18:49 +0000 http://tiltedworld.org/?p=1487#comment-4209 A very nice piece of fiction indeed... Let's hope it stays that way. Honestly, I thought they'd all sing and dance at the end, and everything in the world would be just hunky dory. I was especially surprised to see that Tim Burton wasn't the author of this, reading how in the first year of school the children had to undergo a 'seven word spelling bee', and that X's five year old friends posed to their parents, '[He means that] by the time X’s sex matters, it won’t be a secret any more!' Bravo, Tim Bu--I mean Lois Gould. My largest issue with the story, however, is that it proposes the exclusion of part of a child's identity as the way to destroy sexual boundaries and limitations. I would have thought it far more efficient to attack these stereotypes directly, rather than complicate the situation. Now, there's no way I can prove that this couldn't happen if this 'Xperiment' were to take place, but honestly--what is the message of this story? That knowing your gender is a bad thing? That it would be nice and it would work if every child was raised this way? Or perhaps that X would never be asked, 'Do you pee standing up?' What would you tell your child if 'it' wanted to know if 'it' was a boy or a girl? Would you say it's neither, or that it doesn't need to know right now? Would you be happy with people calling your child 'it'? Would you honestly chance your child being singled out by others, or would you blindly believe that the other children, being a massive five years old, would say to their parents, 'Nah, you're wrong'? What would it take to solidify a world which brings young children to be androgynous? Well, let's start with toilets... Let's have one large room--we don't want their gender to be discovered that easily, do we. Urinals--Oh no! Far to risky! Can't risk a child being found out, so we must watch them constantly to make sure they're staying off the subject of gender. Do we teach them that there are boys and girls, but that they're not allowed to know which they are? What about those rebellious ones--Do we isolate them? Surely this is just avoiding the real problem to the point of paranoia. I personally believe that a world like this would be a scary one to live in, but at the same time it could quite easily fall apart. To those who still think that this is a logical solution, I ask you this; Were any of you raised androgynous? If you weren't, and you still think that sexual boundaries are wrong, then why would there be a need in raising a child this way? You are living proof that this solution isn't needed. Why don't we all attack the real problem head on, rather than dick around with solutions that, realistically, have nothing to do with the original problem? A very nice piece of fiction indeed… Let’s hope it stays that way. Honestly, I thought they’d all sing and dance at the end, and everything in the world would be just hunky dory. I was especially surprised to see that Tim Burton wasn’t the author of this, reading how in the first year of school the children had to undergo a ‘seven word spelling bee’, and that X’s five year old friends posed to their parents, ‘[He means that] by the time X’s sex matters, it won’t be a secret any more!’ Bravo, Tim Bu–I mean Lois Gould.
My largest issue with the story, however, is that it proposes the exclusion of part of a child’s identity as the way to destroy sexual boundaries and limitations. I would have thought it far more efficient to attack these stereotypes directly, rather than complicate the situation.
Now, there’s no way I can prove that this couldn’t happen if this ‘Xperiment’ were to take place, but honestly–what is the message of this story? That knowing your gender is a bad thing? That it would be nice and it would work if every child was raised this way? Or perhaps that X would never be asked, ‘Do you pee standing up?’
What would you tell your child if ‘it’ wanted to know if ‘it’ was a boy or a girl? Would you say it’s neither, or that it doesn’t need to know right now? Would you be happy with people calling your child ‘it’? Would you honestly chance your child being singled out by others, or would you blindly believe that the other children, being a massive five years old, would say to their parents, ‘Nah, you’re wrong’?
What would it take to solidify a world which brings young children to be androgynous? Well, let’s start with toilets… Let’s have one large room–we don’t want their gender to be discovered that easily, do we. Urinals–Oh no! Far to risky! Can’t risk a child being found out, so we must watch them constantly to make sure they’re staying off the subject of gender. Do we teach them that there are boys and girls, but that they’re not allowed to know which they are? What about those rebellious ones–Do we isolate them? Surely this is just avoiding the real problem to the point of paranoia.
I personally believe that a world like this would be a scary one to live in, but at the same time it could quite easily fall apart. To those who still think that this is a logical solution, I ask you this; Were any of you raised androgynous? If you weren’t, and you still think that sexual boundaries are wrong, then why would there be a need in raising a child this way? You are living proof that this solution isn’t needed. Why don’t we all attack the real problem head on, rather than dick around with solutions that, realistically, have nothing to do with the original problem?

]]> By: A Child Called X « That Girl, Fae http://tiltedworld.org/2009/07/22/boy-or-girl-x-a-fabulous-childs-story-by-lois-gould/comment-page-1/#comment-4157 A Child Called X « That Girl, Fae Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:17:02 +0000 http://tiltedworld.org/?p=1487#comment-4157 [...] Here is an updated link that will take you to the story. Rate this: Share this:Share on TumblrLike this:LikeBe the first to like this [...] [...] Here is an updated link that will take you to the story. Rate this: Share this:Share on TumblrLike this:LikeBe the first to like this [...]

]]> By: facebook application http://tiltedworld.org/2009/07/22/boy-or-girl-x-a-fabulous-childs-story-by-lois-gould/comment-page-1/#comment-4154 facebook application Sat, 21 Jan 2012 08:15:43 +0000 http://tiltedworld.org/?p=1487#comment-4154 I was suggested this blog through my cousin. I'm no longer positive whether or not this submit is written by him as no one else understand such exact approximately my difficulty. You're incredible! Thank you! I was suggested this blog through my cousin. I’m no longer positive whether or not this submit is written by him as no one else understand such exact approximately my difficulty. You’re incredible! Thank you!

]]> By: nhfycctrcefks http://tiltedworld.org/2009/07/22/boy-or-girl-x-a-fabulous-childs-story-by-lois-gould/comment-page-1/#comment-4145 nhfycctrcefks Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:50:15 +0000 http://tiltedworld.org/?p=1487#comment-4145 Hi, Neat post. There is a problem with your web site in web explorer, would check this? IE still is the marketplace chief and a large component of other people will leave out your great writing because of this problem. Hi, Neat post. There is a problem with your web site in web explorer, would check this? IE still is the marketplace chief and a large component of other people will leave out your great writing because of this problem.

]]> By: Xennon http://tiltedworld.org/2009/07/22/boy-or-girl-x-a-fabulous-childs-story-by-lois-gould/comment-page-1/#comment-4132 Xennon Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:26:02 +0000 http://tiltedworld.org/?p=1487#comment-4132 First of all, the whole idea of not being raised as a boy or girl is repugnant to the nature of being human, most species and certainly humans have two sexes by nature for a reason. Now, that's not to say that we should be raised with stereo types, that's a whole other issue to being male or female. The story itself is quite ridiculous, I was born in 1978 Toronto, and we were never segregated in any way for being male or female in school other than the washrooms and change rooms. We played sports together, read the same books, and followed the same rules. Furthermore, as you have already realized I'm now 32, married and have two children of my own, consequently a boy and a girl, and it was my son who had the cute dimples and still does, it's my daughter who is actually the strong one, lol. I promise you this is the truth, I'm not making this up. Nobody ever bought anything all that different as far as gifts either, other than some of the clothes, but as for toys my daughter's favourites toys (other than my laptop), is my son's old talking globe and organ. I don't remember the name, but there was a true story exactly as this one that I read once in a Sociology course at the University of Toronto, I would refers the name but I long sold the text book. It was a true story about baby born with a penis smaller than one inch. A doctor the parents found literally suggested to have the child's penis removed and give the child female hormones once at safe age and raise the child as a girl. However the complications were a little more serious than "Baby-X" and from a very young age only showed interests in what most people might consider as "male-sterotypical" behaviour. Hence she was a "Tom-Boy". Eventually she stopped taking the female hormones, and started taking male hormones to help produce the right physical constitution to her desire. Later in her, now "his" twenties, he married and fathered a child, after having reconstruction for his organs. However he later committed suicide in his early 30's, revealing in his last day's that he had been seriously troubled all along. For me, there are workings in this world that far exceed the capacity of human understanding or reasoning, nature is one of these - call it God if you wish, whatever you choose, but our sex is something we do not determine, choose or shape or conform, its part of our nature, I've met tough girls and soft boys. What people need to do is understand that we need not put so much emphases on issues we cannot control - that goes for both those who push the gender stereo types and those who refute the same. Somethings are naturally more appealing to the female and visa versa, and somethings it doesn't matter, it's up to each person to choose for themselves. But as far as raising children, I certainly would never dress my son in a flowery dress, nor my in baggy pants and a baseball cap. For those who think the want a neither a boy or a girl, get a dog - wait, their male and female??? First of all, the whole idea of not being raised as a boy or girl is repugnant to the nature of being human, most species and certainly humans have two sexes by nature for a reason. Now, that’s not to say that we should be raised with stereo types, that’s a whole other issue to being male or female. The story itself is quite ridiculous, I was born in 1978 Toronto, and we were never segregated in any way for being male or female in school other than the washrooms and change rooms. We played sports together, read the same books, and followed the same rules. Furthermore, as you have already realized I’m now 32, married and have two children of my own, consequently a boy and a girl, and it was my son who had the cute dimples and still does, it’s my daughter who is actually the strong one, lol. I promise you this is the truth, I’m not making this up. Nobody ever bought anything all that different as far as gifts either, other than some of the clothes, but as for toys my daughter’s favourites toys (other than my laptop), is my son’s old talking globe and organ. I don’t remember the name, but there was a true story exactly as this one that I read once in a Sociology course at the University of Toronto, I would refers the name but I long sold the text book. It was a true story about baby born with a penis smaller than one inch. A doctor the parents found literally suggested to have the child’s penis removed and give the child female hormones once at safe age and raise the child as a girl. However the complications were a little more serious than “Baby-X” and from a very young age only showed interests in what most people might consider as “male-sterotypical” behaviour. Hence she was a “Tom-Boy”. Eventually she stopped taking the female hormones, and started taking male hormones to help produce the right physical constitution to her desire. Later in her, now “his” twenties, he married and fathered a child, after having reconstruction for his organs. However he later committed suicide in his early 30′s, revealing in his last day’s that he had been seriously troubled all along. For me, there are workings in this world that far exceed the capacity of human understanding or reasoning, nature is one of these – call it God if you wish, whatever you choose, but our sex is something we do not determine, choose or shape or conform, its part of our nature, I’ve met tough girls and soft boys. What people need to do is understand that we need not put so much emphases on issues we cannot control – that goes for both those who push the gender stereo types and those who refute the same. Somethings are naturally more appealing to the female and visa versa, and somethings it doesn’t matter, it’s up to each person to choose for themselves. But as far as raising children, I certainly would never dress my son in a flowery dress, nor my in baggy pants and a baseball cap. For those who think the want a neither a boy or a girl, get a dog – wait, their male and female???

]]> By: Basim Khan http://tiltedworld.org/2009/07/22/boy-or-girl-x-a-fabulous-childs-story-by-lois-gould/comment-page-1/#comment-3437 Basim Khan Sat, 08 Oct 2011 15:35:11 +0000 http://tiltedworld.org/?p=1487#comment-3437 Could somebody please tell me what they believe the theme of this story is? Could somebody please tell me what they believe the theme of this story is?

]]> By: Meet X, c. 2011. « 4 Mothers http://tiltedworld.org/2009/07/22/boy-or-girl-x-a-fabulous-childs-story-by-lois-gould/comment-page-1/#comment-2984 Meet X, c. 2011. « 4 Mothers Fri, 03 Jun 2011 04:35:52 +0000 http://tiltedworld.org/?p=1487#comment-2984 [...] both cases, a work in progress. And  upon reading Storm’s story, and being reminded of both X-A Fabulous Child’s Story and Free to be You and Me and all those similar messages which permeated my own childhood,  and all [...] [...] both cases, a work in progress. And  upon reading Storm’s story, and being reminded of both X-A Fabulous Child’s Story and Free to be You and Me and all those similar messages which permeated my own childhood,  and all [...]

]]> By: nikaleta http://tiltedworld.org/2009/07/22/boy-or-girl-x-a-fabulous-childs-story-by-lois-gould/comment-page-1/#comment-2980 nikaleta Tue, 24 May 2011 23:40:34 +0000 http://tiltedworld.org/?p=1487#comment-2980 i think it awsome... im think maybe i should do da wit my kid if i ever have one because i want it to have a good life nd not have to act like a boy or gurl just becuz it is i want it to be a happy kid !! :) i think it awsome… im think maybe i should do da wit my kid if i ever have one because i want it to have a good life nd not have to act like a boy or gurl just becuz it is i want it to be a happy kid !! :)

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