When Is It Too Early to Decide to Change Genders?

[Shana A]

When Is It Too Early to Decide to Change Genders?
by Joseph Erbentraut
EDGE Contributor
Monday Jul 19, 2010

http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=features&sc3=&id=108167

The decision to transition from one gender to another should be among the most private matters. But when you're the offspring of Hollywood power couple Annette Bening and Warren Beatty, it becomes a matter of public debate -- especially when you are 18 years old. Kathlyn Beatty, eldest child of the acting duo, had privately confided that she planned to transition and become a man. Once the tabloids got a hold of the news, the conflagration quickly ignited the Blogosphere.

Some asked whether a reportedly "heartbroken" Warren would be able to accept his son. The U.K. Daily Mail has reported that Kathlyn plans to go by the name Stephen and reportedly has been living as a man for two years.

Some question whether an 18-year-old, though a legal adult, is old enough to make the drastic decision to transition.

[FairyGirl]

oh my what a cutie! 18 is old enough to be sent off to war, it's old enough to transition if he wants to.

[cynthialee]

How many of us report that we knew we were trans as children?
If a child says that they are in the wrong body, trust the child.

[rejennyrated]

Heck I reckon I was old enough at five! ...and having now proved the point by living it I'd be rather tempted to thump anyone who says different!

(Sadly the only people who questioned my choice and indeed put real obstacles in my way were the medics who did indeed think that I was too young even at 16 when I first saw them in 1976. I thought then that they were sadistically cruel and totally misguided if well meaning old fools, and I am sorry if it offends anyone, we will just have to differ on this, but I STILL have 100% exactly the same opinion of anyone who thinks like that. I'm not even going think about thinking about debating that with anyone. Period. With due respect, bottom line is it isn't your life or your body, and it isn't your place to try and protect me from myself end of.)

[carolinejeo]

The answer surely is it is never too young.

Caroline

[MillieB]

Now I'm not looking for an argument of any kind but rather some education on something that always goes through my head when these kinds of subjects come up. Which is the claim that the majority of cases of childhood GID do not result in adult GD, rather that most go on to be gay or bisexual but not trans. I don't know if this is true or not but is would mean that a cautious approach when dealing with younger children would be prudent. That said however I don't think that this relates to teenagers so I really don't see the problem with puberty blockers at 14 HRT at 16 and surgery at 18, as someone has pointed out, at 18 they can stick a gun in your hand and tell you to go kill someone so I think that by then you are capable of being sure of your own identity. People always talk about the possibility of regret, with younger transitioners, well I've got a bucket load of regrets if I'm honest and one of the biggest ones was buying into the bull that it was just a phase and that I would grow out of it, now that really did do me some damage.

[cynthialee]

I would have needed puberty blockers by age 11 to prevent male puberty.
14 would have been to late for me.

[spacial]

Form my own perspective and I don't doubt, for many children, I would have been happy if someone had just treated me as if my feelings mattered, instead of treating me like a pervert, before I even knew what that meant.

I wanted to play with girls because I was and am one. I didn't know what the different bodies meant. All I knew was I was happy with them and miserable with boys.

[LynnER]

In a word...

NEVER

In my earliest memories I'm hiding from my parents, because I'm tangled up in one of my moms dresses and don't want to be caught (again?) And now after speaking to family and my own parents being willing to speak of things... this was always there, they just refused to see it.

[cynthialee]

Form my own perspective and I don't doubt, for many children, I would have been happy if someone had just treated me as if my feelings mattered, instead of treating me like a pervert, before I even knew what that meant.

I wanted to play with girls because I was and am one. I didn't know what the different bodies meant. All I knew was I was happy with them and miserable with boys.

My family started assuming I was gay by age 5 and sexualy deviant by the time I was 10, yet they never caught me in a sexualy comprimising situation.
Just being gendered wrong can be enough to allow people to make wild assumptions about ones character. Lame eh?

[kelly_aus]

I'd say the earlier the better in many cases..