Q Interview with Kathy Witterick and David Stock, Parents of Baby Storm, Who Are Keeping His or Her Gender Private

Remember the parents who are keeping the gender of their infant a secret? Well, this interview with them on Q, a program on CBC radio, is perhaps the only follow-up story we'll get to the one that appeared in the Toronto Star a couple of weeks ago. The family has been taken aback by the public reaction and completely inundated with media requests which they have turned down. They said no to Oprah -- so presumably there's no reality show in their future. I wasn't really surprised by anything they had to say except that Kathy Witterick, the mom, didn't mention the picture book X, A Fabulous Child's Story as the inspiration for the idea. She says it was Jazz, their son, who came up with the idea after listening to something about babies and gender on Free to Be You & Me. She also took umbrage with the criticism that they are putting too much pressure on their children to keep this secret. She says it is not a secret, it is private. I know what she's getting at although it's not a completely clear distinction. The interview is well worth a listen -- here's that link again.

I haven't stopped thinking about this since I first heard of it -- it's a fascinating story, with lots to think about, particularly if you are raising little kids. (And isn't "Storm" an apt name?)

Comments

[Jess - daysgoby]

I don't know. It just seems like such a short leap for a child to think 'my parents thought not telling anyone if I'm a girl or a boy would liberate me' to 'my mom and dad were ashamed I was a girl/boy, so they hid it.'

[hush]

Here's a link to what I thought was a nuanced, progressive piece on the media sensation by a columnist from "Canada's National Newspaper," who wrote: "It should take people about 30 seconds to figure out the fallacy here: If you keep the sex of a child secret, you are making it the most important thing about that child, not the least."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/relationships/news-and-views/judith-timson/the-genderless-baby-well-intentioned-but-wrong/article2036155/

"Secret" vs "private" is kind of a funny distinction to be making now, after all that's happened. ("Storm" indeed, you're quite right! ) I think reasonable expectations of privacy went out the window the moment the parents elected to give the children's real names, ages, and personal anecdotes to the mainstream media. I sympathize with the family, even while I cringe at their lack of street smarts.

[fayrene]

This story reminded me of the Swedish couple who are doing the same thing, only their kid is named Pop: http://www.thelocal.se/20232/20090623/#

I wonder what has happened since then? I would imagine at some point the child figures it out and makes their own decision about how to live.