Book Chapter: Image of God and Divine Presence: A Critique of Gender Essentialism

Excerpt: I have a daughter and a son. Sometimes I dress my daughter in blue and my son in pink. Sometimes, my daughter plays with male superhero dolls, and when my infant son gets a bit older, I will give him some of those same dolls plus Wonder Woman and Rey from Star Wars. More importantly, as they grow up, my husband and I will teach both of them that they can pursue any vocation—president, pastor, police officer, or whatever.

We will teach them both to be responsible for their own spiritual lives. We will encourage them both to be leaders or followers depending on the situation. Are any of these actions or practices morally problematic?