In an earlier part of the thread while discussing Cassidy's interaction with the dolls, one poster opined that a child as young as Casssidy does not identify gender characteristics but only responds to mommy and daddy types or something of the sort, so she picked a doll that looked like her mother and one that had the general features of her father.
That may have been the case with Cassidy. I really do not know. But what I do know is that I have a granddaughter that has been living with me pretty much 24/7 since just before her second birthday. One day my wife and I were watching her play. We sort of doted on her, and still do. That little girl took a couple of pieces of paper and stuffed them into the blouse that she was wearing to produce the effect of breasts. She walked around the house with her chest poked like that for a couple of hours. it had my wife and I almost rolling on the floor laughing.
That, to me, does indicate that a two and a half year old child can identify gender characteristics.
Now, back to our regularly scheduled program.
Glenn