Baby Names: Hilary or Max?

 I know lots of people who are having babies at the moment. So many that I can't keep up with the knitting. I expect all of those couples have, as I did, the baby name book in the toilet. They probably watched films for the credits; the Long Suffering Husband and I briefly flirted with the idea of naming our firstborn Queeg at the end of a film. There are not many decisions I regret in life but it would have suited her and I think the world needs more non-gender specific names.

Queeg

Sigma

Last night the world was raving about Hilary Benn's speech on the Syria bombing decision. People shared transcripts on Social Media. They commented:  "Wow, I don't agree with much that woman has to say but she has really hit the nail on the head." , "Hilary Benn called fundamental Muslims fascists did she? Progress.", and my favourite, "Just watched Hilary Benn's speech and have to say she is looking a little masculine." Twitter didn't learn. In September they all leaped to Jeremy Corbyn's defence over his male cabinet by saying that he had appointed a Hilary. Oh, Jeremy, how you must regret not appointing a real woman! It was a good speech and one that surprised the press, public and the rest of the MPs because Mr Benn had never been quite so impassioned about anything before. He wasn't the first to play the Nazi card in the day; I think  Dan Jarvis said something similar earlier, although at that point everyone (except John Bercow- who has the most impressive bladder in history - ever) was in the loo or having lunch.

I wonder if Hilary Benn has spent his life having his ideas dismissed simply because people think he is a woman.

The other bit of news yesterday was that the founder of Facebook is so pleased to have a baby girl he and his wife have decided to give away lots of their shares. They have set up a foundation to promote 'equality for all children in the next generation.' This is brilliant and they have given their daughter an excellent start by calling her Max. 

One of my Grandad's names (he had four, being a much longed for only son) was Shirley , which he was always very proud of. I'm sad about lots of things today but how I wish we could live in a world where gender didn't matter.