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TORONTO -- Should a child be able to choose his or her gender? A Canadian couple thinks so, and they refuse to reveal their baby's gender to make that point.
It's the natural first question we ask expecting parents: are you having a boy or a girl? These parents say: no comment.
Bright eyes, chubby cheeks, a contagious grin -- 4-month-old Storm Stocker has all of the makings of a beautiful baby.
But, is it a boy or girl?
Parents David Stocker and Kathy Witterick say it's not for anyone to decide but Storm.
Though they raised two other boys, now 5 and 2, they plan to raise their third child genderless, allowing the baby to eventually choose.
In an e-mail to family shortly after the birth, the couple explains:
"We've decided not to share Storm's sex for now -- a tribute to freedom and choice in place of limitation, a stand up to what the world could become in Storm's lifetime (a more progressive place?...)."
The Toronto Star first shared baby Storm's story, which has since generated a storm of controversy.
The Web is lighting up with opinions -- some supportive, most critical.
Psychologist Dr. Gary Thompson, Director of Community Education at Early Life Child Psychology, says while it's important to support kids in gender identity experimentation, this goes too far.
"It never ceases to amaze me the new and novel ways parents can come up with to potentially mess up a child for the rest of their lives," he said. "Children are often very resilient, but in the long run I think the societal pressures may subject this child to possibly experiencing gender identity disorders."
Thompson continued, "They were trying to create gender neutrality, but I think it's going to create gender confusion."
Only six people know the child's gender: a close family friend, the midwife who helped in the delivery and the couple's other two children.
Email: bwalker@ksl.com
