Raising Theybies: Navigating within a Gendered World

80 Pages Posted: 17 Jul 2020

Date Written: May 1, 2020

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to establish how Gender Creative Parenting (Morris, 2018) navigates within a gendered world. Using a constructive and interpretivist paradigm alongside a critical paradigm approach this research seeks to locate the gender discourse within the psyche of people and of contemporary society (Rehman and Alharthi, 2016; Oksala, 2006). Within modern society you either conform to gender normativity or you contest it, however, a person’s positioning depends largely on how well gender is performed by the interpretations of others (Butler, 1990). To successfully navigate the gender dichotomy a person will gain rewards in status, relationships and protection, those who fail, will be ostracised, marginalised and even killed (Kosciw et al., 2018; Heshmat, 2014; Celis et al., 2013; Yelland and Grieshaber, 1998). Gender is controlled and managed for the maintenance and preservation of hierarchy and patriarchy by the ruling white, male, cis-gender, heterosexual class through the division of humans at birth based on genitalia (Jakiela and Ozier, 2018; Hibbs, 2014; Selly et al., 2011; Yelland and Grieshaber, 1998; Stets and Burke, 1996; Bordo, 1996). Gender creative parenting is not without its difficulties within this androcentric driven, dualistic ideological society however, it is a political presence for change (Weedon, 1987) that highlights the power gender has over the mind within the conscious and subconscious. If there were no essence of gender it would not produce the very idea of gender to begin with (King, 2004). Gender is sustained and created by the very people who succumb to its power and are controlled by its very notion of existence furthering the reproduction of its position in believing gender is innate, biological and natural (Burr, 2003). The need for assigning gender is unnecessary and can cause as many problems for some as it is successful for others (Fawcett Society, 2019a; Fawcett Society, 2019b; Emanuel, 2019; Olsen, 2019; Markosyan and Ahmed, 2017; Miller and Grollman, 2015; Yelland and Grieshaber, 1998; Butler, 1988; Intersex Society of North America, no date), however, it is our give right to gender, identity and protection against discrimination by law (Equality Act, 2010; Ronen, 2004; The United Nations, 1990; Humanium, no date; Universal Declaration of Human Right, 1948) therefore, leaving the developmental process of sex and gender for the individual to explore from birth allows for personal growth instead of suppressing a person’s fluidity in expression. If it were left to nature then freedom to explore gender comes from within the individual, based on their own innate pull to a position for themselves.

Keywords: Theybies, Gender Neutral, They/them Pronouns

Suggested Citation

Davies, Max, Raising Theybies: Navigating within a Gendered World (May 1, 2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3635055 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3635055

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