First of all, a child is at the mercy of his or her parents and whatever other adults are involved. Letting the child masculinize and become more socially invested in being the person they don't want to be to the point that transition is more difficult and more painful may make someone else feel good but it certainly doesn't help the child. Riki Ann Wilchins wrote something years ago that hit the nail on the head when she was addressing the issue of parents and professionals trying to postpone or deny transition. She said that they all tell/told themselves that what they were doing or rather not doing was for our own good. She went on to say, lets not kid ourselves. It was for their own good, not ours.

If a young biological boy is displaying evidence of GID, and expresses a desire to be a girl, I fail to see the danger in that youngster having some time cross living. Having the opportunity to live as a "she" instead of a "he" is the best way for the kid to find out if that is what they really want. I can tell you I was confused until the first time a stranger referred to me as "she" and then I wasn't confused anymore.

I'm a big advocate of early intervention. The ideal world for a transgender child is one where their parents and healthcare professionals assist the child in finding what is right for the child.

_g (imported) wrote: Thu Oct 13, 2011 11:19 am Personal I feel that not a thing should be done (surgery or hormone therapy) and delaying puberty to make sure there is not any out side force pushing the child into this decision so early.

_g

If all gender variant children became transsexuals and transitioned, deciding what to do would be easy. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The statistics I have seen say that a majority grow up to be gay males with no desire to alter their sexual anatomy. A smaller percentage actually grows up to be (at least nominally) straight. The smallest percentage grow up like us and end up transitioning, with varying amounts of medical intervention. Those like you and me look back and wish we could have had full medical and social help from the very beginning, but medicine must not harm those who would not grow up to transition.

I find the current protocol of blocking puberty for those who have cross identified appropriate. Going too far past that before at least 15 or 16 would be irresponsible.

Transward

I agree with this totally, but never heard of any data suggesting that possible gid kids predominantly grow up to be gay.

transward (imported) wrote: Fri Oct 14, 2011 12:14 am I find the current protocol of blocking puberty for those who have cross identified appropriate. Going too far past that before at least 15 or 16 would be irresponsible.

Transward

Charlotte (imported) wrote: Fri Oct 14, 2011 5:02 am I agree with this totally, but never heard of any data suggesting that possible gid kids predominantly grow up to be gay.

http://transformingfamily.org/pdfs/Pare ... riance.pdf

clinicians have yet to be

able to determine which child should receive which therapy. Children diagnosed with GID may take

several developmental paths. Some children experience massive distress associated with living in their

assigned gender and their commitment to their declared gender increases with the approach of puberty. For

other children, childhood gender variance fades by puberty or earlier, and development proceeds towards a

“homosexual path,” as they mature to become gay and lesbian teenagers. Lastly, some children and

adolescents diagnosed with GID end up heterosexual and may or may not be unconventionally gendered.

Currently, clinicians have no test to decide which trajectory a child will take, possibly because a child’s

gender and sexual orientation are dynamic entities, developing as they mature, subject to biological and

social forces and processes that have yet to be fully understood.

notes that his studies indicate that comparatively few gender-variant children--about 12% of girls and 20% of boys--grow into transgender adults.

Transward

Charlotte (imported) wrote: Thu Oct 13, 2011 5:42 pm First of all, a child is at the mercy of his or her parents and whatever other adults are involved. Letting the child masculinize and become more socially invested in being the person they don't want to be to the point that transition is more difficult and more painful may make someone else feel good but it certainly doesn't help the child. Riki Ann Wilchins wrote something years ago that hit the nail on the head when she was addressing the issue of parents and professionals trying to postpone or deny transition. She said that they all tell/told themselves that what they were doing or rather not doing was for our own good. She went on to say, lets not kid ourselves. It was for their own good, not ours.

If a young biological boy is displaying evidence of GID, and expresses a desire to be a girl, I fail to see the danger in that youngster having some time cross living. Having the opportunity to live as a "she" instead of a "he" is the best way for the kid to find out if that is what they really want. I can tell you I was confused until the first time a stranger referred to me as "she" and then I wasn't confused anymore.

I'm a big advocate of early intervention. The ideal world for a transgender child is one where their parents and healthcare professionals assist the child in finding what is right for the child.

I see I was not as clear as I should of been. I'm saying that if need delaying puberty is acceptable to me, unacceptable it giving hormones before GID has been comfurnned. I have no problems with the child cross living.

I have a daughter, now in her 40s, that wanted to be a boy, calling herself, "Billy," when she was ten or so. She is very masculine to this day. She has a black belt in karate, and she is a boxing coach, yet, as far as I know, she has been exclusively heterosexual. She has six kids. She wears her hair short and looks male, but I'm of the impression that she likes having the best of both worlds.

Written communication can be a pain in the ass, can't it. I see we are on the same page, but it's a great topic and I'm thrilled things have progressed so, even if it's way past my childhood.