gender enforcement

[metaphortunate]

Things the baby has ostensibly done recently to cause people to say "Wow, you've really got a boy there, haven't you?"

1) Opened kitchen drawer, flung out piece of tupperware
2) Climbed up slide at playground

Things I believe the baby has ACTUALLY done recently to cause people to say "Wow, you've really got a boy there, haven't you?"

Received a short haircut.

Reason for hypothesis

Previous to the haircut, the most common question upon meeting him was "Boy or girl?"

Alternate hypothesis

Perhaps the haircut has caused him to behave in a more masculine fashion?

Evidence supporting alternate hypothesis

None. Baby behavior has not noticeably changed.

Evidence supporting initial hypothesis

People are extremely good at finding patterns and then noticing evidence to support those patterns and discarding evidence that does not.

Conclusion

GRRARGH PEOPLE WHY YOU GOTTA BE LIKE THAT.

Comments

[tiger_spot]

I've heard that people get much more embarrassed about accidentally calling boys girls than they do about accidentally calling girls boys. Certainly no-one has seemed particularly upset about getting Morgan wrong so far. On the other hand, she hasn't been out all that much, so perhaps we just haven't met the terribly embarrassed people yet.

[metaphortunate]

Oh yes, calling a boy a girl is a much worse insult than calling a girl a boy. Heck, that's only an insult in certain contexts, but it's never not insulting to call a boy a girl. #rage