February 26, 2017: Del Rio News-Herald * OPINION * Letter to the Editor * Baby boys and baby girls
Letter to the Editor,
Baby boys and baby girls
When mom and dad see their baby's ultrasound for the very first time and the primary healthcare worker says, “It’s a boy!” or “It’s a girl!”There is serious doubt that they will vigorously protest and virulently reply, “What a most ancient and antiquated concept! I don’t believe babies are born with a specific sex. Let’s not rush into things. Let’s give our child a few years to decide to self-identify as male, female, neither or both, whatever is their chosen preference.” Obviously not.
And in the days before ultrasounds, when the doctor told mom and dad, "It’s a boy!” or “It’s a girl!” For certain mom and dad didn’t say, “Not so fast doctor, let's not be so quick to jump to such rash judgments! The plumbing may be male or it may be female but we have no idea how our child will identify themselves later on in life. And we cannot justifiably label our baby with one specific sex. It’s their choice." Obviously not.
Obviously, when mom and dad first hear the exciting and wonderful news that they will be having a boy or a girl, they immediately start thinking about appropriate boy names or girl names and purchasing baby boy clothes or baby girl clothes. Why? Because they recognize that all babies are inherently born with a specific biological sex, and well over 99% of the time, there is neither physical ambiguity about this at birth nor emotional uncertainty about this in the years that follow.
When mom and dad see their baby's ultrasound for the very first time and the primary healthcare worker says, “It’s a boy!” or “It’s a girl!”There is serious doubt that they will vigorously protest and virulently reply, “What a most ancient and antiquated concept! I don’t believe babies are born with a specific sex. Let’s not rush into things. Let’s give our child a few years to decide to self-identify as male, female, neither or both, whatever is their chosen preference.” Obviously not.
And in the days before ultrasounds, when the doctor told mom and dad, "It’s a boy!” or “It’s a girl!” For certain mom and dad didn’t say, “Not so fast doctor, let's not be so quick to jump to such rash judgments! The plumbing may be male or it may be female but we have no idea how our child will identify themselves later on in life. And we cannot justifiably label our baby with one specific sex. It’s their choice." Obviously not.
Obviously, when mom and dad first hear the exciting and wonderful news that they will be having a boy or a girl, they immediately start thinking about appropriate boy names or girl names and purchasing baby boy clothes or baby girl clothes. Why? Because they recognize that all babies are inherently born with a specific biological sex, and well over 99% of the time, there is neither physical ambiguity about this at birth nor emotional uncertainty about this in the years that follow.
Obviously when mom and dad are getting the baby’s new room ready and when they are perusing the latest baby products for their baby shower registry; they are definitely just thinking about their precious little boy or little girl bundle of joy.
On the day of their birth, the baby boy will be
greeted with baby-blue colored balloons and the baby girl will be greeted with baby-pink
colored balloons. And so their life long journey begins forever with the words,
“He’s a Boy!” or “She’s a Girl!”
Marian Casillas, Ed.D.
Del Rio