Transgender Children
By Virginia Prescott on Monday, November 17, 2008.
http://www.nhpr.org/node/19080Even as a toddler, little Brandon Simms liked to dress up in his mother's lingerie and shoes. He drew pictures of himself with long hair and pink tutus. His mother, Tina, tried to steer him away from the Barbies and dollhouses at the toy store. Tina's pastor told her to take away Brandon's girly clothes and toys. A therapist said it was just a phase. But Brandon never grew out of it.
Tina had never heard the term "transgender" until she watched a 20/20 t-v special about a little boy diagnosed with "gender-identity disorder". The average age of people seeking treatment for the disorder has plummeted in the past four years, raising controversial questions about biology and destiny. Some specialists point to psychological reasons for wanting to be another gender; some say they these kids are biologically trapped in the wrong body. That rift becomes crucial as children approach puberty, and hormonal intervention could forever alter the course of a child's life.
So, the question becomes: Whose decision is it?
Journalist Hanna Rosin explores the causes and treatments for transgender children in the November issue of The Atlantic Monthly, and she joins us on Word of Mouth to talk about it.
