April 2025 — PGN Research Division Brief
The formative years of childhood development are marked by heightened neuroplasticity and profound vulnerability to environmental cues. One of the most overlooked sources of long-term psychosocial disruption is what PGN researchers refer to as Premature Identity Imprinting (PII): the unconscious reinforcement of binary gender categorization in early life.
Emerging data from PGN-affiliated pilot regions suggest that children exposed to unmoderated binary cues between birth and age six show significantly elevated rates of categorical stress, social performance anxiety, and internalized behavioral suppression. These findings are consistent with earlier studies conducted by the Institute for Post-Binary Ethics, which identified a strong correlation between early gender assignment and chronic identity dysregulation in adolescence.
The PGN Sheathing Protocol was developed, in part, as a harm-reduction strategy for mitigating the consequences of PII. By delaying identity assumptions and neutralizing environmental gender cues, Sheathing provides children with the cognitive space necessary to explore identity pathways without premature alignment pressure.
Our work is not about rejecting identity—it’s about protecting it,” said Dr. Lyle Keane, Senior Fellow at the Center for Developmental Neutrality. “We have to start asking not just what children are, but when they should be expected to know.
PGN will continue monitoring longitudinal data from pilot cohorts and invites public health professionals, educators, and equity policy stakeholders to participate in upcoming forums hosted in partnership with the NeuroEquity Alliance.