Is your baby shower co-ed?

Brace yourselves, many of you will be bored to tears by what I have to say. Yesterday, a (male) friend and I were speaking on the phone and he mentioned that a friend of his was surprised to find out that he was going to a baby shower, (mine.) Now, I was vaguely aware of the fact that sometimes baby showers are exclusively attended by women, but I was under the impression that this practice was old fashioned. As far as I know, the men that I invited to my shower either have no idea that it is not traditional for them to be invited, or don't care. Or perhaps as a third option, they are happy to finally be included in something like this. Whatever the case, I feel the need to openly express how messed up it is that this was ever considered an event just for women. Sure, sure. Women only space can be sacred, but there is nothing about the birth or life of this child that involves women exclusively- starting with the shower.

It's not just for the sake of the dino that I am trying to live outside of the gender binary. It's for my own sake. And yours too, if you want some of the benefits. A male babysitter? yes please. Do I want to make more money than Tom even though I am a mother? yes please. Do I want to make dinner every night and fold the laundry? not really. So be aware of the trap that you are stepping into when you consent to a co-ed baby shower, my brave male friends. A co-ed baby shower is just the first step in a CASCADE of other inclusive and egalitarian behaviors. Can you say Diaper duty?