“Is it a boy or a girl?”

They felt their mind shut down. Boy or girl? As if there were no other choices. Much as their childhood had been dictated by this binary agenda. As if the structure of their body was the be-all end-all for their mind.

Boy or girl. Much like they had to be a girl, because they were pregnant.

As if they were supposed to ask a doctor to tell them what equipment their developing child had and then create an environment to match. As if the child would have a choice.

Was their child a boy or a girl? The child wasn’t born yet. How could they know anything about their child yet? Right now? Only what they or someone else might impose on a being who didn’t know any better.

Their spouse’s words came to mind. Whatever they are, my dear, we will support that.

They took a breath. “One day, they will tell me.”

The person was confused, but they didn’t care. They weren’t going to lie for the convenience of a stranger. They didn’t have to explain themselves.

They would be a parent. What the world wanted to dictate as normal wouldn’t ruin this for them.