Transgender Kids Are Not Confused Or Pretending, Study Finds

[ChiGirl]

Transgender Kids Are Not Confused Or Pretending, Study Finds

By Dominic Holkden, BuzzFeed News
Jan 30, 2015

http://www.buzzfeed.com/dominicholden/transgender-kids-are-not-confused-or-pretending-study-finds?s=mobile

Transgender children as young as 5 years old respond to psychological gender-association tests just as consistently as children who do not identify as trans, according to a groundbreaking study released this week by researchers at the University of Washington.

[Myarkstir]

Transgender Kids Are Not Confused Or Pretending, Study Finds http://bzfd.it/1uJsR8W

I believe this study was done at the University of DUUUHHH!

I guess it's good that these studies are getting and published.  Maybe it'll help some young trans kids.  But they just keep confirming what WE already know. [emoji4]

Post was edited by news staff to meet forum requirements

[ImagineKate]

Well I knew about myself from when I was 4 or 5. I just didn't think I could do anything about it.

[Contravene]

This is interesting. All of the children in the study have parents who support their gender expression, I would be curious to see what the results were for children with unsupportive parents and parents who aren't aware that their children may be transgender.

[darkblade]

I wonder whether a similar phenomenon would occur with the trans adults that have firmly "known" since they were kids? Probably not, but would be interesting to see.

[Wynternight]

I wish I had had the words to express what I felt when I was five. Sadly I grew up before the internet age and was well into my teen years before I ever heard the words "transgender" or "transsexual."

[Northern Jane]

That study comes as no surprise to me! I knew absolutely by age 4, even without parental support or being allowed to live as a girl. But is was the 1950s and there was NO acceptance of trans - it was unknown! I was diagnosed as delusional, threatened with 'raparative therapy', and subjected to cruel and continuous efforts to get me to accept my assigned sex, none of which had any effect except to make me miserable and, eventually, suicidal. It wasn't until I was 19 that I began to find medical help and 24 before I was able to transition.

I have seen this phrase "a phase" so bloody often and wonder where the numbers come from because I never met anyone with "gender identity disorder" who ever grew out of it! I am glad to see some "proof" of the deep-seated nature of gender identity.

[suzifrommd]

Here is a link to the APS press release describing the study:

http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/releases/transgender-kids-show-consistent-gender-identity-across-measures.html?utm_source=pressrelease&utm_medium=vocus&utm_campaign=transgenderkidscognition

Overall, data from the various measures indicated that transgender children's responses were indistinguishable from those of two groups of cisgender children.

On the IAT measuring children's gender identity, transgender children showed a strong implicit identification with their expressed gender. When the researchers looked at the data according to the children's expressed gender, they saw that the data from transgender girls showed the same pattern as the data from cisgender girls and the data from transgender boys showed the same pattern as data from cisgender boys.

And Olson and colleague saw the exact same pattern of findings when they looked at data from an IAT test that tapped into the children's gender preferences.

Transgender children also showed the same pattern of results as cisgender children on the explicit measures included in the study. For example, transgender girls, just like cisgender girls, preferred to be friends with other girls and they tended to prefer toys and foods that other girls liked.

[ImagineKate]

This is interesting. All of the children in the study have parents who support their gender expression, I would be curious to see what the results were for children with unsupportive parents and parents who aren't aware that their children may be transgender.

TRIGGER WARNING

You kind of do. These are many post puberty transitioners and, sadly those who harm themselves or commit suicide.

[Aazhie]

That study comes as no surprise to me! I knew absolutely by age 4, even without parental support or being allowed to live as a girl. But is was the 1950s and there was NO acceptance of trans - it was unknown! I was diagnosed as delusional, threatened with 'raparative therapy', and subjected to cruel and continuous efforts to get me to accept my assigned sex, none of which had any effect except to make me miserable and, eventually, suicidal. It wasn't until I was 19 that I began to find medical help and 24 before I was able to transition.

I have seen this phrase "a phase" so bloody often and wonder where the numbers come from because I never met anyone with "gender identity disorder" who ever grew out of it! I am glad to see some "proof" of the deep-seated nature of gender identity.

It is good to see studies finally supporting things some of us knew so soon. I suspect the "phase" stuff is because many kids do experiment with things like cross-dressing, kissing any of their friends regardless of gender. Many kids just do things people might not expect because they are figuring out the rules everyone expects them to obey.  That doesn't mean they can't express a different identity than their assigned sex from a young age. To me, it is completely different, but sadly things were much harder for anyone who was different then... :C

It's sad that something so real for someone could be brushed off so callously, but I am glad you were able to get help.  I am extremely grateful things have changed and hopeful to see even more progress in the future.