Mother Raises Girl as Boy for Two Years

A Brazilian woman misled everyone, including her own husband, about the gender of her daughter, whom she raised as a boy for two years.

After being discharged from the hospital, the mother scratched off the mark in the “female” box on the birth certificate and checked off “male,” instead. This forgery was taken at face value by the registry office in Central Brazil, which resulted in the girl being officially registered as a boy. The baby was christened “Samuel,” dressed in boys' clothes and given a short haircut and boys' toys to play with.

Plus: Parents Keep Child’s Gender Secret for 5 Years

The ruse was discovered when the child's aunt became suspicious and peeked into the girl's diaper while holding the baby at a family gathering. The rest of the family never had any doubts that the baby was a boy. “It was a huge shock for everyone,” the paternal grandmother told Record TV. Now I have to get used to the fact I don't have a grandson any more, I have a granddaughter."

Plus: When Kids Defy Gender Roles

The mother said that she deceived everyone because she was abused as a child and did not want her daughter to suffer the same fate as a girl. The child has been placed in foster care while the case is reviewed by a judge.

How would you react to such a revelation? Leave a comment and let us know.