So, I don't know how many of my dear readers have heard about the Swedish parents who have gained some media attention for refusing to disclose what genitalia their child has. They (correctly) think that the world as a whole will try to box their child in based on the contents of hir pants and they want to give hir a chance to just be hirself.
This has been met with mostly shock and accusations of abuse(?) which boggle the mind. Well, that isn't strictly true. It only boggles the mind if you aren't aware of how steeped in a gendered hierarchy we are. My fellow feminists, on the other hand, are aware, and have mostly reacted positively. I wish I felt as positive.
As much as I respect and agree with these parents for what they are trying to do, I think it is premature to suggest that this is going to make Pop's life any better. Part of the insidious nature of a system as powerful as the kyriarchy is its ubiquitousness. There is no such thing as "outside the kyriarchy." Unless Pop's parents plan on keeping hir at home and not exposing hir to any media what so ever, zie will still see these messages that we all are soaking in at the very least. If they plan to send hir to school, well...I just have an image in my head of some kid asking hir if zie is a boy or a girl, hir saying that she doesn't know, and having someone ask about, ask to see or force a peek at hir genitals.
I really wish it could work, and I wish Pop all the best, but I can't shake the cynicism that tells me that this will end poorly.
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