Interesting read. I have a lot of questions about it though. I wonder what exactly the consider "gender neutral." And how would they be able to determine that based on their own gender biases? Maybe blocks seem like a gender neutral toy, but what if they were blue or pink- colors typically associated with genders. Does that have an influence?
To me, it doesn't seem as if what they did would harm their child in the long run. I mean- they're still concerned parents, right? But I do wonder whether they should try to be gender accepting rather than gender neutral (which to me seems impossible somehow..)
This part of the article gave me that idea because it seems like "encouraging" one way or another is pushing SOME sort of gendered response. Encouraging/ praising a male child for choosing a floral shirt (probably typically considered feminine), is still teaching the child to response to something... even if it's an object/ response typically associated with the other sex.
Why not just buy the kid all sorts of varieties of toys/ clothes of both genders to see what they respond to? Seems like that would actually be the less subjective way to handle the situation.
(hehe sorry if I'm ranting.. but my art is about gendered objects so I got kinda into it.)