7 in 10 Believe Gender Creative Parenting Is Important in Promoting Gender Equality

It is more likely that LGBTQ youths will suffer abuse, neglect, and discrimination from society, their peers, their families, and their relatives than straight youths. For this reason, most parents would prefer their children to be straight than gay.

Parenting can be very tricky. There is neither a standard to it nor a perfect way of raising a child. And most parents would take the conventional approach of raising their children as they see fit in society.

However, one approach called ‘Gender Creative Parenting’ has created more confusion for many. The approach is raising a child without preconceived gender norms. It is based on the principle that a child’s genitals should not influence their activities, actions, or appearance. In other words, it is a style of parenting that does not change just because the gender of the child is different.

The sexual rights of children and youth are often not addressed and are neglected. Discussions on this topic are considered taboo and inappropriate by many, saying they are too young to be exposed to the matter. In comparison, some families practice gender-creative parenting as early as the moment they know they are expecting a child.

A poll launched by Real Research, an online survey app, attempted to gather opinions about the practice of raising a child outside of typical gender roles.

17 in 20 Are Aware of How Gender Creative Parenting Is Practiced

Our survey on Gender Creative Parenting shows that 17 in 20 (84.94%) are aware of the practice, of which 12 (62.70%) are fully aware. The rest of the 15.07% are unaware.

The survey report further highlights the following:

• 48.04% raise their children through gender-creative parenting
• 5 out of 10 say being aware of the language used is the most effective way of gender-creative parenting
• 56.25% agree with gender-creative parenting style

48% Raise Their Children Through Gender Creative Parenting

Meanwhile, others (23.78%) do not practice the same parenting style, but some (28.18%) know parents who raise their children without gender restrictions.

Parents would want to know the best parenting style, but in reality, there is no one right way to parent. Parenting styles differ in many ways regarding how they should be applied. For instance, among the various ways that gender-creative parenting varies from others is based on language. According to 49.12% of respondents, the most effective way to raise a child under this approach is to use a language that does not label others based on gender.

It is also believed that avoiding labeling clothes (23.96%), toys, and activities (12.84%) is helpful, whereas 12.56% think removing gender roles from household chores would be more effective for gender-creative parenting style. Read a similar survey here: a survey on balancing gender roles at home.

Is Gender Equality Important for a Child?

Gender creative parenting style promotes gender equality. As data shows, around 7 in 10 (73.06%) believe this parenting approach is significant for a child to express one’s self without the stereotypical gender expectations. However, the rest think it is somehow important (13.11%) and irrelevant (7.89%).

Parents must also take into account unique elements in applying gender-creative parenting. Our survey confirmed by 36.74% of respondents that these gender-creative children require acceptance and support. 23.46% state it is essential to follow a child’s lead regarding their interests and gender expression, while 14.15% believe parents should practice affirming behaviors.

The Debate Over Gender Creative Parenting

While some agree that there are benefits to avoiding gendered stereotypes when raising children, others believe it to carry more drawbacks. As per our poll results, charts clearly show that 34% agree strongly with the practice of gender-creative parenting, with another 22.25% that agree too. On the other hand, 16.97% oppose it.

The effect of gender-neutral parenting will vary for every child. Our survey tried to identify the advantages and disadvantages respondents find in this approach.

Most respondents (43.39%) think the advantage of gender-creative parenting on a child is the liberty of exploring various areas of interest. Meanwhile, others (21.37%) believe children can be frank with their parents, and some say they have a broad mentality (17.18%) and show compassion (8.75%) towards all genders. A similar survey also revealed that 34% say it is easy for transgender models to succeed in the fashion industry.

However, on the flip side, the majority (45.16%) worry about the bullying that these children might face. Others determine difficulties these children might encounter, like finding clothes (23.05%), mingling with peers (18.82%), and conforming to school rules (11.75%). Another Real Research report also revealed that even as society evolves, gender inequality remains.

Also Read: The Majority of People State That Gender Does Not Matter When Adopting a Child