Following a Child's Lead and Setting Kids Up for Success: Convergence and Divergence in Parenting Ideologies on the Political Right and Left.

This article examines how gender activists from diverse political backgrounds in the United States discuss gender-neutral parenting amid increasing political polarization on gender and sexuality issues. Based on interviews with eighty-five activists—including left-leaning feminist and LGBTQ+ advocates, right-leaning conservatives, and a small group of radical feminists opposed to transgender rights—the study finds surprising convergence and notable differences in their views. Both left- and right-leaning activists support allowing children, especially girls, to engage with toys and activities traditionally associated with the opposite sex, but differ in their understanding of gender identity: conservatives link gender strictly to biological sex (chromosomes and genitalia), while progressives view gender identity as innate but not determined by biology. Left-leaning activists emphasize affirming children's self-expressed gender identities and providing safe environments for gender nonconformity, whereas right-leaning activists focus on socializing children into traditional gender roles and often dismiss transgender identities. The article highlights how these ideological positions shape parenting practices and broader debates about gender inequality, suggesting that affirming individual gender identities alone may not address systemic gender hierarchies.