A couple in Australia, Kyle (center) and Brent, who did not disclose their son's gender through 'creative sex education,' and their son Jumer. Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Hana Na] A couple in Australia has attracted attention after it was revealed that they did not tell their newborn son his gender and allowed him to find his own gender identity.
The couple's educational goal is to let their son know that gender cannot be simply divided into male and female, and that there are also homosexual orientations such as gay and lesbian, so that he can find his own gender identity.
According to Time and the Daily Mail on the 16th, the wife Kyle Myers and husband Brent, originally from Salt Lake City, USA, settled in Australia and had their son Zoomer in 2012.
The couple did not tell their child his gender afterward, and people around them also tried not to reveal the child's gender by not showing his genitals.
Myers said, "We used gender-neutral pronouns like 'they, them, their' for Zoomer, but around his 4th birthday on March 4, 2016, he wanted to be called 'he, him.'"
She claimed, "Our parenting method did not confuse our son but rather helped him understand the meaning of gender more accurately."
She added, "Zoomer understands that females can have penises, males can have vulvas, and intersex individuals can have both testicles and vulvas. He also knows that some dads can get pregnant."
In particular, she said, "Gender is not assigned at birth but is a choice made by the individual," and "Many people have supported us after learning about our 'gender-creative parenting method.'"
Myers said she did not want to predict Zoomer's gender identity in advance, adding, "When children's programs on TV talk about boys and girls, Zoomer refers to 'nonbinary friends.'"
However, she also expressed concern that Zoomer might be bullied by friends due to this unique education as he grows up, but said, "Over time, he has become more confident in his own thoughts."
After his 4th birthday, Zoomer describes himself as male but still prefers gender-neutral terms like kid or sibling over words like son or nephew.
However, Myers' social media sharing of this parenting method was flooded with critical comments calling it 'child abuse.' She even received letters at her workplace saying she should not raise a child.
Myers said, "Despite online harassment and communication difficulties with strangers, many people support me."
Myers currently runs a blog called 'Raising Zoomer,' where she shares her family's daily life and provides counseling on creative sex education.
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