![]() ![]() Young people who are transgender (or trans) feel powerfully that they wish to be - or are - a different gender from the one they were assigned at birth. She used to love dresses and dolls and all those things, and all of a sudden she’s telling us that she’s a transgender male.’ ” “Parents can come to you and say, ‘I don’t understand. Others present as typically male or female when they’re younger and surprise their parents when they declare their affirmed gender, explains Paul Mitrani, MD, PhD, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Child Mind Institute. They stay neutral, and in some cases never develop a strong identity as male or female. Some trans or non-binary kids, when they are young, don’t associate with either male or female gender expression in things like clothing, toys, activities and preferences in friends. Most eventually assume the identity of their assigned gender. Young kids often playact favorite characters of a different gender, or enjoy playing dress-up. Children may start to question their gender identity as young as two or three years of age, when they become aware of the notion of gender and they may assert, “No, I’m a boy,” or “No, I’m a girl.”Įxploring different modes and expressions of gender is a normal part of development during childhood. Gender is expressed through one’s personality, appearance and behavior - typically as either masculine or feminine. ![]() The experience of being transgender means that a person’s gender at birth (assigned gender) does not match the way they feel about themselves (their affirmed gender). “It’s often affecting every part of their life: in school, in friendships, in family life.” “We see a lot of anxiety and depression,” adds Dr. This kind of distress is called gender dysphoria, and it is complicated by the fact that kids who don’t feel at home in the body they were born with often also experience rejection, bullying and social isolation. “Usually it’s much more confusing for the child and family.” “It’s rare that kids just say one day, ‘I was born female and I don’t identify as that, I identify as a male and that’s what I want to be,’ “ says Dr. They are usually struggling to understand and alleviate that distress. “They know something is not right and it’s felt this way for a long time,” explains says Emma Woodward, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. Kids who question or want to change their gender usually do so because they are experiencing severe distress that they associate with the gender they were assigned at birth. What do kids need from their families as they wrestle with their gender identity? But parents of kids who raise questions about their gender or come out as transgender may still find themselves at a loss for what to do next. The rights and experiences of transgender people have been very much in the news over the last several years. The treatment buys time to make a decision about further hormone therapy or surgery. That means that kids don’t develop mature characteristics, like a deeper voice or breasts, which could make them feel worse in their bodies. Not all transgender kids are interested in those options, so treatment should always be tailored to their specific goals and needs.įor young people who are still deciding whether they want to make a physical transition, hormone treatments to delay puberty are an option. It can also involve guidance around surgery or hormone therapy, which can change a young person’s body to better match their gender identity. That might mean changing their name getting accepted as a different gender by their family and community. Treatment for gender dysphoria focuses on treating anxiety or depression, and helping kids reduce their distress about their gender identity. Many of them have anxiety or depression, which may be made worse by bullying, isolation from their peers or rejection by their families or community. They have a strong dislike of their sexual anatomy, a strong desire to be a different gender, and a strong desire to be treated as that other gender to relieve their discomfort. It’s important to note that being transgender is not a mental health disorder, and not all transgender people experience gender dysphoria. Sometimes, the difference between their assigned gender and their affirmed gender causes extreme distress called gender dysphoria. Even young children might say, “No, I’m really a boy” or “No, I’m really a girl.” As they get older, they may feel extremely uncomfortable in their bodies and want to change their gender identity. Young people who are transgender feel powerfully that they are not the gender assigned to them at birth. The experience of being transgender means that a person’s gender at birth (their assigned gender) does not match the gender they feel themselves to be (their affirmed gender). ![]()
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