Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Dateline NBC is doing a report tonight on TG children.

Here is a link that goes along with the report http://insidedateline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/08/12625007-transgender-children-in-america-encounter-new-crossroads-with-medicine?lite (http://insidedateline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/08/12625007-transgender-children-in-america-encounter-new-crossroads-with-medicine?lite)

This came on just as my parents and I were about to sit down to dinner.  My mom, who knows what I am going through right now, could barely be pulled away from the TV.  My stepfather was chomping at the bit to get started, but he was outside standing over the grill (we were eating out on the patio), so he saw none of this.

I ended up running into my room and checking the internet to make sure the episode would be online later.  Only after I assured her that it would be, and that she could finish watching it, did she turn it off.

It was amazingly gratifying to witness.

It was storming here. I missed half of it. >:(

  I'll get it when it streams.  It is usually ABC News that airs this subject.  It will be interesting how they at NBC handle this subject. 
  Joelene

I saw it. I was most awe struck by how some children are not only immensely self aware, but so self-assured at the tender age of 10 years old. Amazing.

Quote from: JennX on July 08, 2012, 08:35:10 PM
I saw it. I was most awe struck by how some children are not only immensely self aware, but so self-assured at the tender age of 10 years old. Amazing.

So were we growing up in the 1950's and 1960's, try age 6.  We weren't allowed to think that way.  The times are changing so those children can express their feelings now much more freely without the threats of being institutionalized. 
  Joelene

  I just saw the preview video of the program.  There is a web only video of Josie's first specialized transgender doctor visit.  She was on a dozen psyche drugs from her other doctors.  Sounds Familiar.  Link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/ (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/)
  Joelene

The giggle/smile Josie makes at the end of that doctor visit video put tears in my eyes.  That was the look of true happiness.

My parents were watching it. Ugh, my mom's so stupid. She said Josie was probably like that because her mom looked like a boy. ::)

My mother was telling me about this on the way back home from therapy earlier today. I think it concerned her, with me being younger and her thinking that I'm going to regret transitioning. I don't really know, it sounded quite interesting.

Maÿlis

  The Dateline page just came on with the whole program to be viewed by streaming.  On the page is a link to Josie Romero's personal essay as well.  I gotta go watch it.
  Joelene

  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/ (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/)

Thank you so much for sharing this :)

Quote from: Maÿlis on July 09, 2012, 11:13:03 PM
My mother was telling me about this on the way back home from therapy earlier today. I think it concerned her, with me being younger and her thinking that I'm going to regret transitioning. I don't really know, it sounded quite interesting.

Maÿlis

Maÿlis,
  Be patient.  As mentioned in the report, you may change your mind.  Dr. Spack says that with those concerned at your age, if you are at the age when Josie got her first exam by a gender identity doctor, you should wait.  Dr. Spack also said that he gets only 20%, that's one out of five, that don't change their mind when they reach puberty.  The puberty blockers will buy an additional 2-3 years more when given at the right time to make this decision.  Going through the HRT that is not consistent your birth gender will cause permanent damage and is not reversible.  Hugs!
  Joelene

  I saw the report and Josie's essay.  NBC and Hoda Kotb did a excellent report on this.  When I saw Josie in this latest report, I was looking into a mirror, except that I did not express my feelings because of the time I lived in.  This was some 53 years ago.  I did see a shrink at one time when my school recommended one to my mom for problems getting along with my classmates.  I was a very thin and sensitive kid and was a target for bullying.  It was my impression of a certain intelligence and my love of science that was consistent to the perceived notions at the time as male, so no gender questions were asked if I remember correctly.  Yes, my shrink did have a distinctive German accent, she may have been from Austria, a stereotype at the time!  Think Sigmund Freud.
  Josie was on 14 meds with 17 doses per day!  One for Tourette's syndrome!  When they took her off of her meds and allowed her to act out her gender preference those uncontrolled temper tantrums ceased.  This is familiar for me some 50 or so years agewise later than Josie's coming out.  The HRT did work here on my dysphoria, with Josie the simple thing of acting out was the key.  This might of worked for me if they were more tolerent back then.  We would be institutionalized if we came out and acted out like this regardless of our parents feelings!
  Josie is lucky in these days of more tolerance to the gender variant.  There are more treatment options than I would have and the knowledge base has increased as more people came forward these past 50 years.  Josie still has options with the hormone blockers that she is on now.  2 to 3 years from now we might know, we'll see.  Dr. Spack said of the "Over-the-top dysphoria" cases he gets, some do change their mind before getting off of the hormone blockers.  Dr. Spack also said that of the children that expressed gender dysphoria at around age 8 when Josie's story started, only 20% of those cases were over-the-top as he stated and treats only those in the 20% group.  The other 80% he said they changed their mind before puberty or are gender variant including gay and lesbian.  I knew this all along.  Thanks, Dr. Spack for bringing this out.

  For those parents who are on this forum looking at this after seeing this report, be patient with your child.  To the children who perceived themselves as the other gender, the same as I answered to Maÿlis earlier.  My outcome might have been different If I had the proper treatment in the early 1960's.  Thank you for the time reading this. 
  Joelene