Would you encourage your teenager to explore another gender, if they felt maybe they were transgendered?

I'm one of those "transgender people", and I too would like to suggest caution and taking things slowly. (for more information about this side, and its only a side of my life, please google stephanie vomact,an alias) From both personal life experience and also from reading a lot of peer reviewed journal studies the majority of pre-teens and teens that show cross gender behavior that end up being gay or lesbian and even heterosexual or bi-sexual. I think thats an ok outcome in my mind.

Certainly a lot better than very intense negative experiences and , hate to say: having a kid _off themselves_. :-( I think we all want to avoid that. The issue, is that if your child (of whatever biological sex) IS indeed, truly trans* they _ARE_ going to be expressing it later in their life, ... the PROBLEM is that the sooner they work on it and deal with it, the better they'll be able to live.

Another factor, I feel is that rather odd, is that somehow, in the last 10 years that awareness of, and almost use or abuse of trans concepts has become oddly common, where before ,it was really seemingly unknown. Now whether the external awareness has created something that wasn't there, OR perhaps that some younger people have recognized something in themselves when they find out the possibilities, I really cannot say. One other factor, is that I feel if a pre-teen or teenager, is really truly trans* it _IS_ going to come out, and it will come out later, if not supported sooner, so, if when they are 20,30(40, eeesh) or whenever, please be more open to that.At the very least when someone is an adult I feel they ought to have as complete autonomy over the body that they can manage/afford.

So, when its really real, it is ,sigh, going to happen anyway, but just it will be down the road. There is one big research group in the netherlands that has been 99% succesfull in diagnosing trans kids as being legimately and (hate to say it) irreversibly so. These are young people that WILL live far better,happier and more succesful lives, changing.

I cannot find an authoritative source,but what I do recall is that the primary treatment is _NOT_ to give the kids cross sex hormones, etc, but instead to DELAY PUBERTY with other medicines. This allows the young person (and parents) time to make serious decisions,before any irreversible steps are taken. Dr Norman Spack ,at boston children's hospital , is apparently one USA specialist that has extensive knowledge with the "dutch protocols".

I would like to encourage what might be gender exploration... in my own very restricted young life, I was NEVER allowed to have something like my hair grown past the tops of my ears, and usually a buzz cut. I still couldn't quite pull off the butchy boy (or even androg boy) thing, with little to no hair,but , my point and I do have one, is I sometimes cannot help but wonder, if I had been allowed the freedom to explore, what my feelings might have been. Lastly, my experience is that girls and woman have a more difficult and labor intensive slice of life, so hey, how about your bio-male (is this correct?

) child, washing the dishes? Doing the laundry? It may actually be a more common part of female or feminine life, than fancy clothes, or parties, or something.

And if the kid isn't trans, he'll be better prepared for batchlor and married life :-) If this is a biological female kid, maybe some lawn mowing and oil changes might be in order? I wish you and your child, or at least your hypothetical situation, the best of luck.

Yes. I think that if any teenager brought such a concern to a parent they must really have thought it through themselves and it is a serious issue for them. I don't think that any teenager would bring this up casually with a parent!

Thus, I would help them explore the other gender. I'd get professional help though (e.g. A counsellor to help with what they are going through) and I would keep it private. Not out of any shame, but I think that some teens are too rash about some decisions, e.g. Coming out, and this can "label" them at school in the community even if they have shaken off what they once claimed to be.

Ultimately, any good parent wants their child to be happy and comfortable with who they are. EDIT: Of course, after they have had time to think about it and they are 100% sure of who they are, I would have no problem with being public about the whole situation!

I would try to be as supportive as I could and try to help him or her with whatever might be appropriate in figuring out his or her identity. I'm sure there are groups out there that could help with determining if this were true or not. Teenage years are about finding oneself, and those who believe they are transgender may very well be.

Transgender people know for a long time about themselves but are afraid to let others know because of the sad repercussions of those who do not understand. I would try to help my child explore his or her identity in as safe a manner as possible and support hard decisions they would have to make.

Encourage no, but discourage no. Being a teenager is confusing and while I don't think an entirely hands off approach is best I do think it better not to lead a teen. Let them find their own way and then support that decision.

I would not buy clothing or other items to support the decision, admittedly I don't entirely agree with the "I was born the wrong sex" theory. In the case of those born hermaphrodite that the parents chose a sex, sure believable, but in my book even if a boy is feminine or a girl a tom boy that doesn't make them born the wrong sex. I likely would express this opinion with my teen if they asked as I feel opinions and feelings should be open in a parent-child relationship.

I would be sure to add that I love them for who they are and however they chose to live their lives, but I certainly would not be a helpful partner in my teen becoming transsexual.

Yes and no, part of growing up is doing what you feel is right. I would not encourage him or her to become transgender, other then saying whatever you decide I will respect. Thus I would not buy alternate gender clothing or anything like that, nor would I condemn him or her from buying such clothing with a personal budget.

The one thing I may say that might be considered discouraging is that I may encourage the child to explore this after high school. This is for two reasons, 1) If the desire is triggered by hormonal changes it may be temporary. 2) Teens can be very cruel I would be worried about my child's wellbeing if he/she came out in the immature environment of high school.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.