The issue of changing gender is one that not only applies to
adults, or even teenagers. In some cases, children can feel as if they do not
belong to the gender they were born into. In these cases, is it appropriate for
the parents to go ahead and make the decision to assist their child in the
process of gender transformation? In certain cases, including one that ABC News
took a look at, I believe if the child is showing obvious signs of gender
ambiguity and it can be shown that these thoughts and beliefs are not just part
of a brief phase where the child is acting as a “tomboy” or “a boy who likes to
play with dolls” but are in fact how they identify themselves, that these sorts
of decisions made by the parents are completely justified.
By going
ahead and taking action in this case, the parents have helped their child match
their mental identity of gender and their physical one. These types of
decisions being made early have been shown to help those who undergo the
process to gain confidence in their new gender. Many have claimed that this is
wrong or unnatural and have also argued that the former little girl should have
been given more time to decide as to whether or not she still wanted to be
physically altered. Some suggest that this decision should have been made in
the teen years of the child so that way they can concretely confirm their
gender choice.
However, based of the evidence
shown in the news clip, and the reports given by the professionals that took
part in the process, I think that the parents have improved the quality of life
for the child. If they were to have waited until the little girl was older and
well into her teens, the child would not have lived comfortably in her body as
she grew up. During key developmental years, she would have felt out of place
and probably would not have had a similar experience to other children growing
up around her. Because she will be able to grow up as a boy, and because she
identifies herself as a boy, as she grows up and develops mentally and
physically she will be able to better self-identify, which in many
professionals opinion greatly benefits the child well into his adult years.
This is the link to the article found by ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/parents-transgender-child-choose-gender-23954641
-David Higgins
I believe that the parents made the right decision in helping the child to change into the gender which they identify with. I also think that if parents feel this would fell their child then the parents should be regulations. This would help prevent cases where it is just a fase or if the parents wanted a girl instead of a boy and vice versa. The parents should be required to meet with professionals like parents mentioned in this article did.
ReplyDeleteIn determining if this is right is something that an insider can not judge. With that being said, I do agree that it was right for the parents and child to make this decision. The video did show how the young girl originally identified herself as a male. She obviously was uncomfortable with the idea of being a girl. Therefore, if this transition was what was best for the girl than I agree with it.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the parents, with the request of the child, have the right to make a decision such as this. I also agree with Rachel in that the family should be required to meet with a professional or a series of professionals in order to finalize the decision of the operation. I think that it should be done as early as the decision can be made with certainty by the child as opposed to later on in the teenage years. I say this because it will help assimilate the child into the new lyfestyle of choice as well as it will seem more normal to the child's peers, and thus can cut down the emotional strain that can be brought about and would possibly decrease the amount of bullying that could occur and increase the amount of acceptance given to the child
ReplyDeleteThis is something in which it is hard for me to have a definite opinion. In this case, it appears to be handled the correct way. The parents knew their child felt uncomfortable in the body he was born in, and they had the appropriate help from gender professionals to make their decision; however, in some cases, it probably won't be that easy to make such a decision. Like those in the video, I'm worried that the child could possibly be going through a phase, and they may regret their decision, or not fully understand their decision, later on in life. Overall though, the happiness of the child is what's most important... If the parents can see from an early age what needs to do be done to promote such happiness, then kudos to them.
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