(Updated December 5, 2010. See below)
I may as well begin with a disclaimer. I am not now, nor have I ever been, fashionable. I couldn't care less what is making its way down the runways of New York, in the windows of Barneys, or even what my peers really want as the latest and greatest look. I like what I like. In fact, this came to glaring light recently as I attempted to purchase a new suit.

I like double-breasted suits. The fashion world has a major disagreement with me as they decided not to make them anymore. After visiting three different retailers and receiving the same answer, I came to the conclusion that designers no longer find double-breasted suits to be suitable for a man.

Okay, that was a bit of a tangent. Sorry. But it was slightly important as I attempt to make a point. While I may not be fashionable, I'm curious about the Dads who are and are willing to wear pink shirts (or ties or whatever) just because they are back in fashion. If you are one of those Dads, I'm willing to bet that you weren't wearing pink shirts in the late '90s, especially if you were going for some venture capital. You wore blacks, blues, greys, maybe even a green or red. But pink? Heavens no! Now, I'm seeing more and more guys wearing pink shirts and it irks me.

We're living in an age when men are becoming women and women are becoming men. For the last 30 years, men have been told that we need to "get in touch with your feminine side". Women have been encouraged to be more dominant, take power from the men, and "even the playing field". Are we now at the point where children are growing up in an androgenous society where gender identity is a complicated or even taboo exercise and the distinctions between men and women are fast fading?

My current boss is the only woman I've seen in the last 5 years to wear a skirt to work. She is no shrinking violet by any means. She runs her company and has a successful history. But she seems to understand femininity and isn't afraid to wear a skirt. She doesn't have to look like a man to get respect. So while guys are running around in pink shirts and washing their manhood away with each shade of mauve (or fuscia or whatever), most women are grabbing the nearest set of suit pants and voting as a New York Senator.

As Dads, we have a question to ask ourselves: what does this mean for our children? Will your daughters grow up to become dominant feminists who emmasculate the men in their lives? Will your sons develop into gardening knitters who love cats and obey the orders of every woman they meet? Is there, perhaps, a happy medium?

I have a cousin who, along with her husband, made the choice to raise their son in a "gender neutral" environment. In spite of the nine months that I've been hearing that term, I'm still a bit lost about its full definition. We've heard that they won't push trucks or blue or baseball on him. Okay, you're the parents. But will you be pushing dolls and pink and fairies on him? I suppose my biggest conundrum is this: without direction, what is he supposed to learn? I believe the job of a parent is to teach their child how to be the best person possible. I'm more than just a guardian. I'm an instructor. I'm an example. I'm a guide. If no teaching is occurring, I'm just a bubble and my child has no role model for decision-making.

There is a venomous debate occurring in psychological and sociological circles right now about gender identity. Its playing out as another element of the "nature vs. nurture" debate. I tend to fall somewhere near the center of that argument as I believe both elements have a role to play in the development of a child. Genetics and conditions in the womb are probably the largest factors in the development of an infant's brain. But beyond that, they learn from the adults that care for them. Whether it is Mom & Dad, Grandma & Grandpa, or another family member, children are learning every moment of their young lives. That is how we become adults.

If children watch the men in their lives adopt the identifiers of women and the women in their lives adopt the identifiers of men, what are they learning? Are the mannerisms so stark that they can't be explained simply?

Men and women are and should be treated equally. But they are also different and if those differences fade, so do the opportunities for gender identity education.

(Update - December 5, 2010)
One of our Twitter followers (@getdaddysomegin) sent a tweet yesterday about his "15 minutes of fame", during which he was interviewed by the Calgary Herald for being a dad blogger. The article had this to say about his blog: "and as a father he has a lot of opinions to share in the blogosphere about things such as cloth diapers, labour contractions, man bags (get one, fellas!) Crocs (throw them away!), tucked-in golf shirts (fatherhood fashion faux pas; don't get him started!), and, yes, gin." The mention of fatherhood fashion got me thinking about the above post and I realized I owed all of you an update.

I bought something pink. And I've worn it. More than once. As the Marketing Director for an automotive dealership group, part of my job is to integrate community relations with our regular advertising efforts. My employer is a big believer in community support. This October, we kicked off an annual event I dubbed "Walking and Wearing Pink" in which all of our employees wore pink ribbons throughout the month and on the last Friday before the local Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, we all had to wear a pink item of clothing. As stated above, I owned nothing pink. So I bought a really nice looking Jerry Garcia tie with strong pink elements. Not a totally pink tie, but it definitely fit the bill! And despite its pinkness, I really liked it. I've worn it two additional times in the last two months.

But its not a pink shirt. Its an accessory. And its an accessory designed by a guy, for a guy, that also includes gray, blue, and green.

Enough of my self-defense. I felt it necessary to update you on a related blog. Don't hate me.