No, babies cannot identify gender in the same way adults do. While infants can discriminate between male and female stimuli, this is based on visual cues and other sensory information, not an understanding of gender identity.
Early Sensory Discrimination vs. Gender Identity
Research shows infants can distinguish between male and female faces and voices from a very young age. This ability to differentiate is based on physical characteristics and vocal patterns. For example, studies show that infants can discriminate female from male stimuli across multiple senses (amodally). However, this is a far cry from understanding gender identity, which is a complex cognitive and social development.
- Sensory Discrimination: Infants can visually and aurally differentiate between typically gendered presentations (e.g., hairstyles, clothing, voice pitch).
- Lack of Gender Identity: This sensory discrimination does not equate to an understanding of gender as a social construct or personal identity. Gender identity develops much later in childhood.
A study mentioned that infants can identify some gender-typed characteristics amodally. This means that they can detect differences across multiple senses, like sight and sound. However, this does not indicate they understand gender itself.
Several sources emphasize that gender identity formation begins much later in childhood. Many sources state that by around 18-24 months, children can begin to recognize and label gender groups, but this is still a rudimentary understanding. A stable sense of gender identity typically forms around age four.
Therefore, while babies can perceive differences between typically gendered presentations, they cannot identify gender in a meaningful, self-reflective, or socially-contextualized way. Their ability to perceive differences is based on sensory input, not internal understanding. The idea of a transgender baby is thus impossible at birth, since gender identity is not formed at this stage.
