EXCLUSIVEOur baby has THREE co-parents and we're raising them WITHOUT a gender - we don't care what other people think because we know it's the best thing for our child

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Three parents who are raising one child together have spoken out about their choice to raise their kid as genderless.

Markus Harwood-Jones, 32, calls himself 'Dad' and is raising 21-month-old River with his 33-year-old husband, Andrew McAllister, who is 'Papa,' and their 33-year-old co-parent, Hannah Dees, known as 'Momo.'

Markus and Andrew met in 2012, and a year later they moved in with their friend, Hannah, in Toronto, Canada, who was looking for roommates.

Hannah was hoping to become a 選び出す／独身 mom by choice and the trio had a conversation about one day co-parenting a baby together.

Three parents who are raising one child together have spoken out about their choice to raise their kid as genderless

Markus Harwood-Jones, 32, is raising 21-month-old River with his 33-year-old husband, Andrew McAllister (pictured), and their 33-year-old co-parent, Hannah Dees

To make it a reality, they spent eight years planning how their unusual 始める，決める-up might look and even drew up a 'parenting 協定,' which covered their feelings on 住宅, 宗教 and education.

Hannah underwent IVF?and fell 妊娠している in April 2021. All three …に出席するd each ざっと目を通す and were 現在の for River's birth in January 2022 and each parent is written on the こども's birth 証明書.

The family decided to raise River as genderless and 辞退する to 株 their child's 生物学の sex - other than on their birth 証明書 for 医療の 目的s .

They 永久的に live together and have 正規の／正選手 会合s to discuss things like chores and childcare ― with Markus doing the 本体，大部分／ばら積みの of the cooking, Andrew taking on きれいにする and Hannah's strength in child-後部ing.

They trio say River will be able to choose whatever gender 身元 they want when they're old enough - but for now, they go by they/them pronouns.

にもかかわらず each of their families 受託するing the 決定／判定勝ち（する）, they often 遭遇（する） 'blank 星／主役にするs' and 'silly questions.'

'We're choosing to raise River genderless to 許す them to 調査する their 選択s as they grow,'?Markus, an author, from Toronto, Canada, said.

'Co-parenting them as a three was one of the best choices we've ever made.

Markus (pictured) and Andrew met in 2012, and a year later they moved in with their friend, Hannah, in Toronto, Canada, who was looking for roommates?

Hannah (pictured) was hoping to become a 選び出す／独身 mom by choice and the trio had a conversation about one day co-parenting a baby together

'If there weren't three of us, we probably wouldn't be able to afford having a car, and we'd probably also have to 支払う／賃金 for things like daycare.

'All three of us have had 複雑にするd 関係s with gender throughout our lifetime.

'We believe that 施行するd, binary gender stereotypes can have a 消極的な 衝撃 on children and adults.'

Markus, Andrew and Hannah grew の近くに as housemates before discussing the idea of having a child together.

'We spent about eight years planning this 始める，決める up before even trying for a baby,' Markus said.

'We read many baby 調書をとる／予約するs, went to workshops on co-parenting, took classes about child-後部ing, 草案d a "parenting 協定" ― which covered things like each of our feelings on 住宅, 宗教 and education.

'We still try to have 正規の／正選手 family check-ins to talk through all the different things that come up when you're living together and raising a baby together.'

River was born in January 2022 and Markus says the family chose to 許す their sex to be 記録，記録的な／記録するd for 医療の 推論する／理由s, but say they'll never 公表する／暴露する it in public.

W ith three parents in the house, Markus, Andrew and Hannah don't feel the need to send River to nursery and are able to give them lots of attention.

Markus, Andrew and Hannah grew の近くに as housemates before discussing the idea of having a child together. Pictured are Markus and Andrew walking with River

'We spent about eight years planning this 始める，決める up before even trying for a baby,' Markus said. Pictured is River

'Because we're doing things a bit 異なって, this 現実に 許すs for more space for intentional conversation,' Markus 追加するd.

'We're 尋問 norms around who is 責任がある 国内の labor and childcare at home.

'This dynamic 許すs River to have more direct attention than they might さもなければ.'

Andrew said Markus was the most 声の about raising River genderless after coming out to his family as trans at 16.

They believe you shouldn't assume a baby's gender at birth ― just like you wouldn't assume their sexuality ― and 手配中の，お尋ね者 to use gender-中立の language to 言及する to River so not to '事業／計画（する） their own biases' の上に them.

River's wardrobe is kitted out with skirts, dresses and dungarees, and they play with dolls and toy trains.

'Markus brought this 概念 to Hannah and I, and we all spoke about it over the course of several years,'?Andrew said.

'When River was born, we did 簡潔に consider gendering them but returned to using fully 中立の language whenever possible.

'A metaphor we like is introducing your baby to gender like you would to solids.'

Markus, Andrew and Hannah 認める River's 生物学の sex and have taught them their own anatomy, にもかかわらず keeping it 私的な from everyone else.

'We'd like people to know that our child's sex is not a secret, it's just not public （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状）,' Hannah said.

'We're teaching River the anatomically 訂正する words for their own 団体／死体 - and we have the knowledge that they can always change their 合法的な gender later if needed.

'But in the short 称する，呼ぶ／期間／用語, having a 合法的な binary sex 任命 is easier and safer ― like for 医療の 緊急s and travel.'

非，不，無 of the three co-parents have experienced major '（激しい）反発' from friends or family - and say they're not 段階d by the 'blank 星／主役にするs' and 'silly questions' from others.

'We do get a fair 量 of people who just don't understand what we're doing,' Markus 追加するd.

'Grocery 蓄える／店 clerks and coworkers, の中で other people, often give us blank 星／主役にするs, end conversations 突然の or ask silly questions ― like, "Does your baby have a gender yet?"

'But we also have plenty who surprise us ― and some who just don't care either way.

'Given that we're three loud and proud queers who （機の）カム together to raise a baby, we were always going to stand out anyway.'

Markus says he and Andrew are keen to live with Hannah 無期限に／不明確に and would consider 招待するing a stepparent into the family home if she 会合，会うs someone.

'If Hannah met someone, and they were together for a 重要な period of time, and this partner 手配中の，お尋ね者 to move in and take on a stepparent type of 役割, we would talk about it as a group,' he said.

'If we decide it's the 権利 choice for our family, we'd 人物／姿／数字 out a way to have them move in and join us as a family 部隊.

'We hope to continue to live together 無期限に／不明確に, and at 明らかにする 最小限 want to stick together as we raise our child.'