Children & Teens Trapped in the Wrong Bodies
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Anderson spends the hour talking to children who believe they are trapped in the wrong bodies, and discusses their parents’ journey to acceptance. Anderson speaks with experts to get a better understanding of the medical and psychological aspects of transgender people, and how these families are faced with new scientific options that would allow their kids to change their gender.
Anderson also speaks with Domaine Javier, a transgender woman recently expelled from college for applying as a female, as well as Kyle Allums, the first transgender Division 1 basketball player.
Anderson also speaks with Domaine Javier, a transgender woman recently expelled from college for applying as a female, as well as Kyle Allums, the first transgender Division 1 basketball player.
Community Question
As a parent, what would you do if your child insisted that he or she was in the wrong body?
Join the conversation.
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Comments
I find it perplexing that a large segment of organized religon while preaching peace and love can act in such a bigoted way. Note:If you look up the term bigot I have yet to find an exemption given for religous beliefs
What a wonderful conversation. If I had a child that was transgender, I would do everything I could to support them. I'm a complete supporter of LGBT rights.
I actually started my own "scholarship" for LGBT, as well as Allies, between 15 and 25. If anyone reading these comments knows of (or is) someone that qualifies, please help me by supporting. Spread the word, apply. We need to keep these conversations going. :)
@ Hazeleyes...
If I were in the same situation I would allow them to transition...I would definitely wouldn't want them to harm themselves or committing suicide...
I would continue to explain that the world won't be as accepting as I am but know that I'm there for them now & forever!!!
As for surgery, I don't advocate surgery until the child is fully an adult and was absolutely sure thats what they wanted...not all transgendered want to have the surgery...
My heart goes out to the transgendered community!!! Because I know how cruel & judgmental this world is!!
I don't understand how people don't believe when a CHILD says their in the wrong body...this isn't about letting a child do what they want...When you have a child that will impose bodily harm upon themselves because they don't feel true to themselves that is proof that they were BORN in the wrong body!!! I'm sooooooo glad to see the wonderful & compassionate parents that are allowing their children to be themselves!!!
Kudos to you all!!!!
Please don't buy into the psycho-religious that will TRY to tell you that God doesn't approve or love you & your children...GOD LOVES ALL HIS CHILDREN!!!! Period...
We humans are not perfect & if he only loved the perfect ones NONE OF US WOULD BE LOVED BY HIM!
Continue letting them know that there are people in this world who do love & accept them for who they are!!
AND TO ALL OF THE PSYCHO-ÜBER CONSERVATIVE RELIGIOUS ZEALOTS WHO WILL TRY TO TELL ME IM WRONG, KMA!!!!
I'm also curious as to what specifics these children with gender issues describe as the root of why they feel the way they do. Do they mention that they don't like their body parts, their expected gender roles, or just state that "it's a feeling inside?"
Some BOYS are born looking like girls, and depending on the degree of hormonal imbalance will behave like girls and be attracted to boys when teenagers. These "girls" will have XY chromosomes but externally look like girls. The jazz singer Eden Atwood has "androgene insensitivity" syndrome that made her totally "girl" on the outside and emotionally. Androgene insensitivity is a spectrum disorder. Some Androgen insensitivity will result in very masculine looking "girls."
Perhaps Chastity/Chaz Bono was actually born with androgen insensitivity. Even when he/she was a young child dressed as a girl, I always thought she/he didn't look that much like a girl.
Sometimes boys are born with an extra X chromosome giving them the condition called Kleinfelter's syndrome. Maybe the little boys turned into little girls have a variation of Kleinfelter's. Other girls are born with only one X chromosome and they often look like boys.
Why no mention of these very real conditions that can and do cause gender identity problems in young people?
Question for whoever wishes to answer it. For those of you who have children expressing their feelings about being in the wrong body, how would you handle the situation if this type of surgery did not exist? Just curious.
It is very hard for most people to understand gender variance unless you have experience with it personally. My daughter from age 4 until now, age 9, has felt strongly she is a boy. Some of the hateful people here apparently believe I should reject my child, force my child to be someone she feels deeply she is not, or see my CHILD as a sinner. I cannot.
I would further point out that there has been no trauma in her life or bad parenting to cause this.
My child is in all other ways a normal, happy, bright child, and like any other child.
My daughter lives as a tomboy and is mostly comfortable with this. She has not transitioned to living as a boy. From what we understand, most gender deviant children are not transgender. Many will revert to their biological sex at puberty. However some will not, and these children, beyond age 11 will need support in the medical decisions that may need to be made for them to live in the world as they are most comfortable and happy. Furthermore many gender deviant children may be gay, lesbian or bi-sexual, and will need special emotional support from family and friends, due to a society that still does not understand and accept sexual variance.
We have sought support from Children's National Medical Center's program in Washington, DC and I would recommend them to other parents of gender variant children, to answer questions and provide other support.
My heart goes out to all the other parents of gv children out there, and especially to these children, and I hope that our society will grow to be more accepting of the natural diversity that is our reality as humans, rather than continuing to impose rigid requirements for acceptance.
I do not have any issues with the transgender disucssion. The bottom line for me is that if a person is a genetic female or male, then that is how I am going to address them. Just because a male has his stuff cut off and takes hormones or a female does the equivalent, does not make them the opposite sex.
Bottom line is that Chaz Bono is not a man. Do what you want with your body and elective surgery but you should not expect insurance to pick up the bill. If you lie about your genetic gender then you deserve the consequences.
ProudMom, I am a very compassionate person. But I don't accept everything that society encourages. When I was a young child, I thought that "God/nature" punished me because I was born a girl. I witnessed how society and countries everywhere devalued girls. I saw the extreme differences my parents made between the male and female offspring in our family. I hated my growing breasts and my period when it came. I hated that I was not as strong as males and couldn't have the opportunities that many guys had. I hated everything about being female. That was then. This is now. Although my older sister thought she was talking to the wall (as I was growing up) when she tried expressing how wonderful it is being a female, I remembered all of her words. I also learned about God and what he meant to many people. I'm not a bible thumper, but I remembered Jeremiah 1:5. Who am I to change what God and my parents have created. I learned to be happy with myself. "I decided to work on my thought processes." I began to accept my bodily functions as amazing, and realized that I didn't need to have muscles to be strong, and I'll fight for any opportunities that are denied me. I decided that I was and am just as valuable and loveable as everyone else. I too, have wonderful children that I am proud of. And birthing them and all the positive and negative stuff that comes with having children have helped me appreciate my birth gender all the more. I have all girls, and since they were born I've instilled in them that no matter what they may see or hear from others during their lives, they are special, valuable, beautiful creations and are loved for what and who they are. I'm proud to say they've held on to my words as well. Good luck Proud Mom and to all of you here.
So,as I had said before this wasn't my experience, as feeling like I was of a female gender inappropritely placed in the wrong gender 'vessel', you could say, but I did grow up as a really sensitive gay boy, artistic, and not as masculine as I was expected to be, especially *since I only ever attended all-male grade and high schools*(!) Kind of ironically funny, if my "feminity" or sensitivity hadn't been such as catalyst for bullying. Any way, I was worried for the kids on the show, how the world will respond to their act of bravery,but I was really surprised and impressed by the intelligence and sensitivity of the parents.The subject was handled with great intelligence,poise,aplomb,and grace by Mr. Cooper and all parties involved. You get an A+.
GOD loves people more than anything! More than anything He wants them to know, He'd rather die than let them go. I am a very compassionate person, but according to the Bible this is sin. I am a sinner too. However, in the beginning, God created one man and one woman. Male and Female. We as human beings are created in God's image. He created us to bring honor and glory to him. This transgender movement, etc. is just like Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible. How much will the God allow before He takes us out?!
I lost my teenage son to suicide in large part due to the emotional despair caused by his Gender Identity Disorder. When he first told me "his secret" that he believed he was mentally the opposite sex, etc., I was completely shocked and scared. Of course, I told my son I loved him regardless of his gender and would do all I could to help him. I began researching and learning all I could about gender identity issues. I learned it is much more common than most people realize but there is a huge stigma. I talked to experts and my son began counseling. Unfortunately, he took his life before getting the help he needed. These children need our love and support. IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND UNTIL IT HAS EFFECTED YOU PERSONALLY.
It's too bad that a child 3, 4, 5 years old will declare they want to be the opposite sex (because, probably, at some point, they see the opposite sex as having more fun), and the parents run out & change them without EVEN giving them a chance to GROW into their own sex. This is totally sick. And, Anderson, YOU, condone every aspect of any person changing to the opposite sex. WHY DON'T YOU HAVE YOUR LOVER ON YOUR SHOW AND SHOW YOU OR HE IN A DRESS since you are all so for this type of thing?!!! If it were up to "people" like you, there would NEVER BE ANYMORE BABIES BEING BORN & THE POPULATION WOULD DWINDLE. I WILL NEVER WATCH YOUR SHOW AGAIN!!!!!!!!!
If everybody thought the same way as YOU,
I jus*****ched the show and I thought it was awesome! I think as humans we judge and that's a part of our nature; we're scared of what we don't know, but we have to look past that and to see the world in color. I appreciate Tyler for coming out like he did, and to everyone else on the show, and that I support your decision. I wish the best for all of you!