Director, Commonwealth Policy Center

I just learned a new term the other day: Theybies. Instead of saying boy or girl baby, a few moms and dads who become new parents are calling their offspring "theybie" The parents are avoiding gender pronouns so they don't impose gender stereotypes on their newborn son or daughter.  The child is then allowed to choose what gender to identify with at age four. The parents are considered open-minded because they don't want to push certain colors, dress or toys on their child for fear of biasing their child's choice.  It's ironic because these same parents are making daily decisions for their children regarding diet, hygiene and other factors that contribute to well-being, yet those impositions are still ok. And equally important to human health is to embrace gender differences instead of confusing our children.