Ok so I have an 8 to 10 page paper due on Monday (which I haven't quite started yet...) but my topic is on transgender children being diagnosed at a young age. I am fore this because of how I felt and still feel. Anyway, part of the assignment needs to include a personal interview, and I thought I could get the best answers here. I will post the questions below if anybody would like to participate, you can reply or send me a PM, I would really appreciate it. It would be cool if I could get answers from an FTM and MTF as well. Also, any input you have on the subject Id like to hear. Thanks so much!
Michael
1.) At what age do you first remember feeling the opposite gender?
2.) Would yo have wanted to been diagnosed as a child? Why or why not?
3.) What is your opinion on hormone blockers?
4.) At what age do you think it is alright to start hormones?
5.) Would you want your child diagnosed with GID at a young age? Why or why not?
1) Since I was born I guess. I always felt i was different in general and then when i was 5 or 6 I created a female character (sometimes i thought I was her, other times I just played with her) who followed me till now.
2)Absolutely yes. And still now i wonder how it could have been possible that noone did nothing. But i imagine 15 years ago none would have ever thought "well maybe this child could be trans"..Why? cause i would have avoided a lot of pain and i would have got better results (phisically).
3)I think they re very useful for those who are uncertain.
4)the sooner the better :) even at 5 if the child is clearly trans.
5)Yes. Again to avoid useless sufference and to enjoy immediately his/her real nature.
OK. I'll bite.
1.) At what age do you first remember feeling the opposite gender? 4
2.) Would you have wanted to have been diagnosed as a child? Why or why not? Yes. Perhaps then I would have been able to grow up as a girl.
3.) What is your opinion on hormone blockers? I think they are a good idea if it is clear the child is transsexual. I'm not sure about borderline cases.
4.) At what age do you think it is all right to start hormones? It depends on the person (see above). I think that hormones can be prescribed during the early teens if there is little or no question the person is transsexual. If there is doubt, wait at least until the age of majority (18 in most places).
5.) Would you want your child diagnosed with GID at a young age? Why or why not? Yes, if it was clear that was the problem (see above). I don't have any training in psychology, but it seems that having GID isn't a cut-and-dried thing. Sometimes we have to wait and see how it develops to be reasonably certain.
JMHO.
- Kate
1. I always knew I was different, but I knew for sure what IT was at about 12 or 13.
2. I don't know if I was diagnosed or not, but I do remember talking about it quite extensively during most of my teen years with a therapist. Whether he put pen to paper and officially diagnosed it or not I don't know. At least for now, there is a seperate diagnosis for childhood GID and teenage and adult onset GID becuase most young children still outgrow their crossgender behaviors.
3. There doesn't appear to be any risk in delaying puberty. I think its a fine idea if there's any chance the child might later be interested in full HRT. As most people here have said, the onset of puberty was quite distressing, at least being able to put that on hold while the child sorts out their feelings should be no different then giving them anti-depressants, etc.
4. I think the standards are still 18. I think a case by case basis is the best approach, but becuase of legal issues, the age of majority is safest for medical practitioners. That I'm aware, when they are approve for under 18s the target age appears to be around 14, just like everything else there are medical issues involved, including growth milestones that have to be reached.
5. I would want my child supported in the best way possible. I think a lot of well meaning parents are pushing their kids with moderate cases of GID into a full blown transition. There are examples where it was either suicide or letting your third grader attend school as their target gender; but I get the sense there are alot of well meaning parents that take steps to support their child that end of giving them little to no means of going back to their birth gender should they change their minds.
Don't know if you still need it, but I'll add mine in too.
1.) At what age do you first remember feeling the opposite gender?
I started for sure recognizing it around 10 or 11, which is when I started puberty, but there were very obvious signs from earlier that made sense from my point of view now.
2.) Would yo have wanted to been diagnosed as a child? Why or why not?
Yes, it would have saved me a lot of trouble with my body and ridicule in my older years.
3.) What is your opinion on hormone blockers?
I think they are a great thing for kids who may be questioning their gender. There isn't any harm that I've found in delaying puberty, and if the recipient decides in the end that it's not for them, they could always stop taking them. I wish I would've been able to take them before it was too late.
4.) At what age do you think it is alright to start hormones?
I think 16-18 is an appropriate age. by then it is pretty clear to the transgender adolescent that there is a major problem. But I think hormone blockers should be used at any age.
5.) Would you want your child diagnosed with GID at a young age? Why or why not?
I wouldn't want my child to be diagnosed with GID at all, just to save them the pain. However, if my kid expressed to me that they were having feelings of gender dysphoria, I would do whatever was possible to bring them comfort. If this means starting therapy and hormone blockers at a young age, so be it. I think any parent would want to do what's best for their children.
Thank you so much for all your replies and those who messaged me, this helps a lot! I'll answer too I guess.
1.) Like others have said, I always felt different, but the particular age I distinctly remember wishing I was a boy was 4 years old.
2.) Absolutely! I remember begging my mom to let me be a boy one day after she picked me up from daycare (and various other times), so I don't understand why she never did anything about it. It would have saved me a ton of trouble later on in life.
3.) I think hormone blockers are awesome for children showing signs of GID, and I strongly wish I had the option when I was younger.
4.) Depends on the person, but I think 17 with parental consent is a good age.
5.) Yes. Personally from what I have been through I would want to spare the suffering as much as possible.
1.) At what age do you first remember feeling the opposite gender?
5
2.) Would yo have wanted to been diagnosed as a child? Why or why not?
Yes mabey my family would have listened and would be okay with it if they heard it from an MD.
3.) What is your opinion on hormone blockers?
Useful for those who need them.
4.) At what age do you think it is alright to start hormones?
I'm not a doctor so I will say that around the time puberty starts should be normal for blockers and 15-16 for HRT
5.) Would you want your child diagnosed with GID at a young age? Why or why not?
Yes. If I ever had a kid (Lets hope I never get anyone pregnant ;) ) I would let them dress and act the way they wanted.