<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Dr Nina Francis]]></title><description><![CDATA[A Space for Parents Experiencing the Intense Emotions of Hoping for a Child’s Sex]]></description><link>https://www.gender-disappointment.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2026 15:26:14 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.gender-disappointment.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Excited to Share my New PANDAS Podcast Episode on What Has Been Called 'Gender Disappointment']]></title><description><![CDATA[I’m so excited to share that my podcast episode with PANDAS Foundation has now been released. The episode is called “They say I’m disappointed but I’m not. What’s wrong with the term ‘Gender Disappointment?’” and it opens up a conversation that many parents experience, but very few feel able to speak about honestly. A quiet moment to listen to a sensitive conversation. Why this episode matters In the episode,  I really enjoyed speaking with Sally about the feelings often labelled as “gender...]]></description><link>https://www.gender-disappointment.com/post/excited-to-share-my-new-pandas-podcast-episode</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a76ea22421979b2d97396a6</guid><pubDate>Sat, 08 Aug 2026 08:38:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/82d53e_70272ac9ddfe4422b898ff4483bada6a~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_768,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr Nina Francis</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[RIFis Information Sheet: Understanding the Rupture of an Imagined Future and Opening Conversations]]></title><description><![CDATA[What is RIFis? RIFis stands for the Rupture of an Imagined Future centred around infant sex. RIFis, unhelpfully formally known as ‘gender disappointment’, refers to the complex emotional experience some parents may go through when their baby’s sex is not the one they had imagined or hoped for. Although often misunderstood or rarely spoken about, RIFis can involve a wide range of emotions including sadness, grief, guilt, shame, anger, confusion, and emotional numbness. These feelings are often...]]></description><link>https://www.gender-disappointment.com/post/rifis-information-sheet-understanding-the-rupture-of-an-imagined-future-and-opening-conversations</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a2ac41444c7bef1d02a4d37</guid><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:23:33 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/82d53e_df9f447659084607b8e03f9ced47e138~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr Nina Francis</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[My Son and a Dishwasher ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Hooray, it is slowly changing, but there is often still an assumption daughters will care more about their mums than sons.   But …. all my dishwasher tells me this morning, is we should not assume this as fact.   Feeling unwell, I went to bed exceptionally early last night; I abandoned all my jobs and went to lie down. When I came downstairs this morning, without even a nudge, my 14-year-old son has gone out of his way to empty and pack the dishwasher for me ✨   No one had asked him to do it....]]></description><link>https://www.gender-disappointment.com/post/my-son-and-a-dishwasher</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69b2d1e39fc78cd5fd89acc1</guid><pubDate>Thu, 12 Mar 2026 14:51:48 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/82d53e_090f01145e3543808471a354f51a8e4f~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr Nina Francis</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[RIFis: A New Way to Understand the Experience Often Called “Gender Disappointment”]]></title><description><![CDATA[If you’ve ever been expecting a child and secretly, or openly, hoped for a boy or a girl, you might recognise the complicated mix of emotions that can arise when your child isn’t the sex you imagined and often deeply hoped for. Some parents feel sadness, grief, or even despair. This is often called ‘gender disappointment’, but research shows that term doesn’t fully capture what research tells us is being experienced. Instead of being disappointment, these feelings can be intense and impact...]]></description><link>https://www.gender-disappointment.com/post/rifis-a-new-way-to-understand-the-experience-often-called-gender-disappointment</link><guid isPermaLink="false">698de15ee530e682e4383c8a</guid><pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:28:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/82d53e_90ded38bdc5d44ea9acd414ff00ddae6~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr Nina Francis</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Meeting with the Incredible PANDAS Management Team: A Heartfelt Conversation on ‘Gender Disappointment’ &#38; Perinatal Support]]></title><description><![CDATA[A reflective blog on my meeting with the PANDAS managemnet team exploring ‘gender disappointment’, perinatal mental health support, and how language shapes help-seeking. Earlier this week, I had the privilege of meeting with the wonderful management team at PANDAS Foundation, a leading UK charity dedicated to supporting every parent, carer, and family affected by perinatal mental illness. PANDAS have been offering hope, empathy and support for over a decade, providing free services and...]]></description><link>https://www.gender-disappointment.com/post/meeting-with-the-incredible-pandas-management-team-a-heartfelt-conversation-on-gender-disappointme</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69843d4e4ef7940ceef0d250</guid><pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 06:54:09 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/82d53e_99a224383fd5437096ff51374a0c875d~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_299,h_168,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr Nina Francis</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Book on ‘Gender Disappointment’ Coming Spring/Summer 2026]]></title><description><![CDATA[I’m thrilled to announce the upcoming release of my book, coming this summer, which presents the world’s first model and scientifically informed understanding of ‘gender disappointment’. It draws on my own lived experience, doctoral research, and extensive engagement with parents and healthcare professionals. What’s inside: The book explores the complex emotional and individual experience of ‘gender disappointment’, from hope, shame, and grief to navigating societal expectations and the...]]></description><link>https://www.gender-disappointment.com/post/book-on-gender-disappointment-coming-spring-summer-2026</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695d213e312d926aa9a8549d</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:01:26 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1d684a_3d94a0f76f2d410a9bc9ea4a6bafc265~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr Nina Francis</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Coping With 'Gender Disappointment' After a Pregnancy Scan]]></title><description><![CDATA[Intro For many parents, the pregnancy scan can mark the moment 'gender disappointment' hits hard. Why the Scan Can Be So Impactful The scan often represents the point where imagined futures and hiopedfor children are either confirmed or lost. If the outcome differs from what you had so dearly hoped for, it can feel like something precious has been taken away. Thos can be compuned by how mnay children you ahd palnned to have and whch pregnnacy this is for. And it can feel ever more...]]></description><link>https://www.gender-disappointment.com/post/coping-with-gender-disappointment-after-a-pregnancy-scan</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695a2a7dbd1cfb4bde7b1e5b</guid><pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 08:56:54 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1d684a_69537c600f614ab7b22b6225db7060e4~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr Nina Francis</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why 'Gender Disappointment' Often Comes With Guilt and Shame]]></title><description><![CDATA[Intro Many parents experiencing 'gender disappointment' describe not only sadness or grief, but also intense guilt and shame. Thoughts like “I shouldn’t feel this way”  or “What kind of parent feels this?”  are very common. In this post, we explore why guilt and shame are so closely linked to 'gender disappointment' — and why these feelings deserve understanding. Where Does the Guilt Come From? Guilt often arises because parenthood is culturally associated with unconditional happiness and...]]></description><link>https://www.gender-disappointment.com/post/why-gender-disappointment-often-comes-with-guilt-and-shame</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695a28ee564ad52a95941130</guid><pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 08:49:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1d684a_cc13de80f414465aa0b7f6f013992ccb~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr Nina Francis</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What Is 'Gender Disappointment'? Understanding a Common but Hidden Experience]]></title><description><![CDATA[Intro 'Gender disappointment' is an experience many parents encounter, yet few feel able to speak about openly. If you’re feeling confused, ashamed, or overwhelmed because your baby’s sex does not align with what you had hoped or imagined, you are not alone, and you are not a 'bad' parent. This article explores what 'gender disappointment' can be, why it may feel so intense, and why these emotions deserve care and understanding. What Do We Mean by 'Gender Disappointment'? 'Gender...]]></description><link>https://www.gender-disappointment.com/post/what-is-gender-disappointment-understanding-a-common-but-hidden-experience</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695a284b564ad52a95941000</guid><pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 08:45:51 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1d684a_42a0900462284d24b1f060afff7748cc~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr Nina Francis</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>