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Language is an inherently limited tool to explain our world, ourselves and each other. But, it's what we got.

I am of a couple (or more) minds in regards to stories like this one. And I know that one news story can not explain every little aspect to the story it is trying to report.

But I think about what I would do in this situation.....and....honestly, I am not sure I would allow my child (under a certain age) to define their gender for themselves. I realize that by posting this I am risking igniting a powder keg in here. But I do that sometimes, take these risks for the sake of discussion.

So, to further explain myself.

I think I would exhaust all attempts to explain gender (body parts) and preferences (personality traits) and to explain that our society labels us according to the body parts, period, right or wrong. I would go on to explain that when the child is old enough, they can decide to change those body parts or even define themselves differently without changing anything physically, but until then, we will have to go with the body parts definition.

And this is where I wish there could be an in between pronoun, but there isn't.

And before I get too roughed up as a reaction to this post, please hear me when I say:

I told my mother I was going to grow up to be a boy. And in first grade I signed some of my school work "Tony" (just found these papers recently - what a revelation).

I think gender as a binary experience is the problem. The claiming of one gender excluding the claiming of the other is the problem. Not whether a child believes they are one or the other.