Let’s Talk: Gender Identity and Children

There’s a growing movement among some parents, psychologists and teachers to leave gender development up to their children.

From the New York Times this morning:

“Children as young as 5 who display predispositions to dress like the opposite sex are being supported by a growing number of young parents, educators and mental health professionals.

“Doctors, some of them from the top pediatric hospitals, have begun to advise families to let these children be “who they are” to foster a sense of security and self-esteem. They are motivated, in part, by the high incidence of depression, suicidal feelings and self-mutilation that has been common in past generations of transgender children. Legal trends suggest that schools are now required to respect parents’ decisions.”

To take it a step further, some parents have chosen to medically block puberty with what are called “blockers” to give their children time to “figure out who they are.” Referrals for this kind of service are on the rise, doctors say.

Schools are working to reform their curriculum and vocabulary to be more neutral and “dismantle gender stereotypes.” So if a five-year-old boy shows up to kindergarten in a dress, there’s nothing a teacher can do about it. One doctor working with a handful of children “essentially living as the opposite sex,” says it’s working. The children are happier and their grades have gone up.

The Los Angeles Unified School District has jumped on board and now “requires that students be addressed with “a name and pronoun that corresponds to the gender identity.” It also asks schools to provide a locker room or changing area that corresponds to a student’s chosen gender.”

So let’s talk: How did we get here? And what is it children need to develop a healthy gender identity?

Read the article, Supporting Boys or Girls When the Line is Unclear, for more.