Transgender Children

I watched 20/20 last night and it was about Transgender Children: "Born With the Wrong Body" http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=5261466&page=1

To sum it up, they profiled 3 children, two "girls" and one "boy". The "girls" were both born boys and the "boy" was born a girl. However, from the time they could talk they all pretty much knew they were really the opposite sex from what they were born with...

Eventually their parents gave in and realized that they had to allow the children to be the sex that they know they were meant to be.

I suck at summaries, so I strongly suggest everyone reads or glances over the entire story before posting here.

My questions though are would you allow your child to dress the sex they know they are if they were infact transgender? How do you think you would react to your child, boy or girl, telling you they were the opposite sex? Would you be OK with it? What are your thoughts on all of this?

I have seen that special. I would allow my son to dress whatever way he was the most comfortable. If he felt in his heart that he was a girl and wanted to dress and be like one, so be it. I would never try to make him something that he (or she) is not.

Personally I would hope they just went through a pahse but if it really wasnt then I would let them be whoever they want to be... All that matters to me is they are healty and happy children.

I'd be very broken.. but accept it

and thats as blunt as i can be..

Quoting Cowgirl♥Up:“ I watched 20/20 last night and it was about Transgender Children: "Born With the Wrong Body" http:// ... [snip!] ... child, boy or girl, telling you they were the opposite sex? Would you be OK with it? What are your thoughts on all of this?”

We were just talking about this the other day and decided that we would not encourage our child to dress opposite from the gender they are born with but at the same time, we would provide gender neutral clothing for them. When they are grown they can make the decision as to how they wish to live and we will love them regardless.

I don't know. When they are little I don't think it matters so much but if it continued until they were a teenager I hope I would have accepted it by then. I do know for a fact it would be something that my husband would really struggle with.

I watched that last night, too!!! My overall conclusion on these particular parents was that they were a tad bit too eager to let their child make all the decisions. Let me explain: 3 and 4 year olds are constantly trying on different identities, and trying to create their own personalities and characters. Its not at all uncommon for little boys to want to dress up as little girls, and vice versa. From what I saw on this particular show - the parents automatically assumed "OMG - my kid is a transgender, and we have to support his decision, etc, etc." basically igniting and exacerbating the whole thing. They were so worried about being "accepting" parents, that they almost came across as if they were pushing their child into a transgender role. A 4 year old is not necessarily capable of making decisions like "I am uncomfortable with my role as a boy in this world, so I choose to make my life as a female". Sure, he can say "I don't like being a boy! I wanna be a girl, like my sister!" Anyone who has ever walked into a pre-school class knows that these type of identity issues are common and it is just the child working out their personality/role in this world.

IMO - the parents almost unwittingly pushed him into that position, by their innocent need to accept their child, no matter how he is.

Idk, This is a hard question.

I'm not saying i would EVER not be okay with my child being transgender. But at 3 or 4 years old you don't really know what they are thinking. There could be many reasons they are thinking that they are the opposite sex. I honestly wouldn't know how to go about it. If that situation ever arose I would most likely consult a psychologist and my child's dr. And if they thought the best decision was to let him/her explore what they were feeling and dress like the opposite sex, then I would be okay with that.

I watched this too. I can't imagine what being faced with that decision would be like. I did see something else on tv (maybe pbs years ago) about transgendered kids.A woman/girl had started therapy as a teen to be more man-like and ended up with a deep voice, more hairy, no breasts, and then by his 20's decided he never wanted to really be a man and wanted to bea woman again have kids but was sterile have to get breast implants and take estrogen to try to reverse the effects of all the hormons they gave her as a kid. Whata mess. But then again if they really don't want to be the sex they are born as iftheydon't start the hormones early then they will have a much harder time fitting in as their chosen sex. Either way it was great to see that those parents accepted thier children no matter what.

I would like to think that I would love and accept my child letting he or she dress however he or she would like, even if it meant a boy dressing as a girl or visa versa. I believe that I would be acceptive and supportive of a transgender child. However, since I have not experienced it, I don't know for sure.
It did make me very sad for those three children when I saw that special. I feel horrible that they have to go throught such a difficult thing at a young age. I'm just glad that their parents are supportive.

I would always accept my child for who they are.
always!

all I want is for my kids to be happy with life and with themselves.

Honestly, all I want is my child to be happy. I will support them thru all their decisions, the good and the bad. I will also be there to punish them thru the bad, lol.

i have this theory that we're still far too obsessed w/ gender lines in the first place... we over-simplify so much for kids instead of telling them that the world is a multi-faceted colorful place, that there aren't simple explanations for much of human behavior b/c we have very complicated brains. i believe that children that over-identify w/ the opposite sex (or their own sex) are doing it as a reaction to learning and internalizing an over-simplifed vision of what it means to be human and how they fit into society as one gender or the other.

when my boy starts asking questions about gender and identity, i'll be there to answer them w/ honest answers -- it's not a black and white situation, nor a blue and pink one.

he's already got a mom that's more outspoken and competative than his father. my temper is quicker, my pride and stubborness more evident. his father is stronger and more athletically skilled, tends to be cool-headed and rational while i'm more verbose, emotional, and artistic. both of us are extremely driven and ambitious and mutually invested in one another's happiness. there is no clear gender role definition in his parents' behavior, which will be the first place max looks to understand what it is to be a boy vs. a girl and how he personally identifies w/ these distinctions.


the essential message will be: people are people-- complex, colorful, strange and wonderful and everyone has to struggle to find their place in the world. so long as you are happy, healthy, honest, and aren't hurting other people or yourself, you are loved and accepted. period.

Quoting Cowgirl♥Up:“ I watched 20/20 last night and it was about Transgender Children: "Born With the Wrong Body" http:// ... [snip!] ... child, boy or girl, telling you they were the opposite sex? Would you be OK with it? What are your thoughts on all of this?”

Well, I can't say with complete certainty, but I honestly don't think it would bother me.

I've never been one for observing or following the traditionally defined gender roles, anyway.

C.

Wouldn't have a problem with it.

I think people are, honestly, way too hung up on "traditional" gender roles anyway. Not every woman is Suzy Homemaker and not every man is Paul Bunyon. The sooner people realize that, the better.