# Teaching body parts and gender in the new millennium. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 11, 2007, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357 "2007-10-11T17:03:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/1 "2007-10-11T17:03:48Z")
So my daughter (2 and a half), as I was changing her diaper, started down that path… “Mama…Daddy has a penis?” “Yep, Daddy has a penis.” “Johnny has a penis?” “Yep, Johnny has a penis.” “Scott has a penis?” “Yes, Scott has a penis.” “Mama has a penis?” Er… “No, I have a vagina.” (Yes, I know this is technically incomplete, but the rest of the kids at play group are unlikely to know “vulva”, so I’ve given in to the peer pressure. And “yoni” just sounds stupid.) “Mama has a 'agina. Aunt Gina has a penis?” “No, Aunt Gina has a vagina.” “Aunt Gina has a ‘agina’. Cai has a penis?” (Cai is what she calls herself.) “No, you have a vagina. Boys and men have penises and girls and women have vaginas.” And then I stopped, and thought a second. Aunt Joey has a penis. Uncle Tom was born with a vagina and now has a penis. No one else really knows what Uncle Wolf has under the jeans. “\*Most \*boys have a penis and \*most \*girls have a vagina.” I amended, weakly. This raising openminded and conscious kids stuff is hard sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/2 "2007-10-11T17:11:14Z")
One more reason why I have a huge dopercrush on you. =) I’m cracking up thinking this is gonna be me in a few years when MrsZer and I get down to being able to afford a baby. (“Y’see, Uncle Trevor likes other boys, and Uncle Gillian has a vagina and is a girl, but likes the title “uncle”, and Uncle Joe and Aunt Sarah are the same person and both have a penis…”) ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/3 "2007-10-11T18:32:14Z")
My 2.75 y.o. daughter sometimes goes around going _Daddy has a penis! Daddy has a penis!_ She also says _I have a BEE-gina_! ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/4 "2007-10-11T18:52:55Z")
[QUOTE=An Arky] She also says _I have a BEE-gina_! [/QUOTE] Surely there’s a better place to keep your hives. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/5 "2007-10-11T22:01:51Z")
So I guess that little kid’s line from _Kindergarten Cop_ doesn’t always apply anymore? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/6 "2007-10-11T22:04:58Z")
Ohh, I want to meet Uncle Wolf! ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/7 "2007-10-11T22:11:23Z")
Do we want to know the story on Uncle Wolf? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/8 "2007-10-11T22:20:56Z")
[QUOTE=Baker] So I guess that little kid’s line from _Kindergarten Cop_ doesn’t always apply anymore? [/QUOTE] “It’s not a tumor, it’s a penis”? ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/9 "2007-10-11T22:30:38Z")
Once again, a [Penny Arcade](http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/10/08) comic seems appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/10 "2007-10-11T22:31:29Z")
[QUOTE=Priceguy] Do we want to know the story on Uncle Wolf? [/QUOTE] A wolf in sheep’s clothing? 😃 Hey, I didn’t say goat!! ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/11 "2007-10-11T22:35:36Z")
[QUOTE=Priceguy] Do we want to know the story on Uncle Wolf? [/QUOTE] Uncle Wolf (and I used “Uncle” only 'cause it made the story flow better, IRL we just call Wolf “Wolf”), is the single most androgynous person I’ve ever met. Most people I have some sort of notions about, but not Wolf. Pre-op woman? Post-op male? Neither? Both? I don’t know, I don’t know anyone else who knows and I haven’t asked. But Wolf is kind and funny and sweet and I like Wolf a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/12 "2007-10-11T22:44:56Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] Uncle Wolf (and I used “Uncle” only 'cause it made the story flow better, IRL we just call Wolf “Wolf”), is the single most androgynous person I’ve ever met. Most people I have some sort of notions about, but not Wolf. Pre-op woman? Post-op male? Neither? Both? I don’t know, I don’t know anyone else who knows and I haven’t asked. But Wolf is kind and funny and sweet and I like Wolf a lot. [/QUOTE] How did you meet Wolf? What pronoun do you use to refer to Wolf? That’s something that _must_ come up. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/13 "2007-10-11T22:53:55Z")
[QUOTE=Priceguy] How did you meet Wolf? What pronoun do you use to refer to Wolf? That’s something that _must_ come up. [/QUOTE] I met Wolf at a drum circle - co-ed. Never seen Wolf at the women’s only drum circle, so that might be a clue or it might be scheduling. So far I’ve been able to play the pronoun game and avoid the issue. If it really becomes a problem, I’ll just ask, but Wolf seems a pretty private person. Most androgynes or transgenders that I’ve known will sooner or later mention it in conversation: “…and she said to me, 'Girl!”…" or “I’m just the kind of guy who’d…”, y’know? Not Wolf. So since Wolf hasn’t seen fit to take me into any confidences, and I’m not interested in sleeping with Wolf (well, maybe, but I’m not pursuing…), I figure that neither Wolf’s plumbing or gender is any of my business. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/14 "2007-10-11T23:03:47Z")
[QUOTE=Duckster] A wolf in sheep’s clothing? [/QUOTE] Or maybe lambskin? ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/15 "2007-10-11T23:45:33Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] I met Wolf at a drum circle - co-ed. Never seen Wolf at the women’s only drum circle, so that might be a clue or it might be scheduling. So far I’ve been able to play the pronoun game and avoid the issue. If it really becomes a problem, I’ll just ask, but Wolf seems a pretty private person. Most androgynes or transgenders that I’ve known will sooner or later mention it in conversation: “…and she said to me, 'Girl!”…" or “I’m just the kind of guy who’d…”, y’know? Not Wolf. So since Wolf hasn’t seen fit to take me into any confidences, and I’m not interested in sleeping with Wolf (well, maybe, but I’m not pursuing…), I figure that neither Wolf’s plumbing or gender is any of my business. [/QUOTE] I’m starting to love Wolf. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/16 "2007-10-12T00:20:00Z")
It could also be possible that Wolf identifies as neither male nor female, and feels that Wolf lies in-between, or find Wolf-self to be neutral (just one more reason we need a better neutral-pronoun then just “they.”) ---
**Author:** ![enigm4tic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@enigm4tic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enigm4tic)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/17 "2007-10-12T00:29:03Z")
… Pics or it didn’t happen. (Wolf, I mean, I’m trying really hard to picture an adult whom I honestly was unsure of gender, and I can’t really do it). As to the OP, for the 2 year olds, seriously, just… I would leave it at the very basic male/female for them as yet. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/18 "2007-10-12T00:33:02Z")
[QUOTE=Priceguy] Do we want to know the story on Uncle Wolf? [/QUOTE] Naah, too sad. It’d just make you cry. Wolf. ---
**Author:** ![Elysium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3be4f8/32.png) [@Elysium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysium)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/19 "2007-10-12T00:54:43Z")
Holy crap I just nearly peed my pants laughing at “Bee-gina.” It makes you want to say it over and over. (Maybe I’m still two years old) It reminds me of the bee-conditioner I once saw on the side of the road, an old air conditioner with bees making a home in it. We decided someone should manufacture such a unit that spews bees out of it. I picture a Bee-gina to be a similar item… Bees shooting out. Well now I can’t stop laughing. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357/20 "2007-10-12T08:55:59Z")
Beegina? I thought centipedes were bad enough. :eek: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teaching-body-parts-and-gender-in-the-new-millennium/422357.md?page=2)