Transgender Baby "Man-Y-Girl" Born That Way ...

[Jingthing]

OK. This is just a cute, interesting story.

He's five years old, a girl, but has always known he is actually a boy.

In these times, he can look forward to a decent life, adding male genitals later on, and hopefully by that time the right to legally marry whatever gender person he loves. Perhaps a future president?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/transgender-at-five/2012/05/19/gIQABfFkbU_story.html

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Aha, hadn't checked over here in the segregated gay area, thought it was worthy of the general forum.

[David48]

This maybe

'just a cute, interesting story'

But I fail to understand how quoting from the article

just a cute, interesting story.

... gender aweness from the age of 2 years old?

.. and how this Thailand related?

[Scott]

Check the subforum rules. The story does not have to be related to Thailand.

[David48]

Check the subforum rules. The story does not have to be related to Thailand.

Thanks Scott, I am more informed now.

[sbk]

Interesting yes? cute, no. It sounds agonizingly painful for all involved.

A thought came to me as I read it tho, for people who believe in past lives this would be evidence such a thing occurs since 80% of the kids with gender dysmorphia grow out of it, a believer might argue that this is just them forgetting their past life as a different gender.

[Jingthing]

Fair enough. I simply meant the toddler in the video was cute. But you're right, there is going to be pain indeed for the child and the parents. Interestingly, I just saw the story being talked about on right wing Fox News tv. The commentator was very rudely dissing the parents for "liberally" allowing the child to be whatever he/she is. He was suggesting they should ignore the child and force her to be a girl, no matter what the child is feeling. So the child has entered the national political discussion / culture wars, etc. So again, you're right. Whatever the parents do about this, now the world is watching them and some people will diss them.

[rodentwarrior]

Have you never come across blue for a boy pink for a girl? All babies are pushed into whatever gender is indicated below the waist!

Perhaps we should dress all babies in white pillow cases, until they are old enough to decide for themselves what sex they want to dress like?

Just a thought!

[Jingthing]

Have you never come across blue for a boy pink for a girl? All babies are pushed into whatever gender is indicated below the waist!

Perhaps we should dress all babies in white pillow cases, until they are old enough to decide for themselves what sex they want to dress like?

Just a thought!

Actually, from an anthropological perspective, I don't think that's exactly always true. I think in some cultures babies are basically treated the same in the earliest years.

That said, I get your point. It is easier for people to identify with their biological gender. But there are obviously cases where it's just not that simple or easy. Not that I'm expert in the transgender issue but I think it's pretty obvious the issue exists. Most dramatically in cases where babies genitals themselves are mixed up/ambiguous (yes it happens).

[LeCharivari]

Not that I'm expert in the transgender issue but I think it's pretty obvious the issue exists. Most dramatically in cases where babies genitals themselves are mixed up/ambiguous (yes it happens).

Caster Semenya is probably the best known current example.

[geriatrickid]

This stinks to the heavens. Another specialist opinion should have been obtained and at the very least, passive gender neutrality encouraged. A child of 2 has no concept of gender, and at 5 is only starting on self understanding.. They may demonstrate certain behaviours, but that doesn't mean much. I suspect that ehere might be a bit of unintentional over compensating by the parents here. And before anyone says I am, biased, please consider child behaviour. Kids develop a concept of gender identification when they start hitting 6 and above. Think about when you started saying girls were icky or when the girls wouldn't want to play with you. When kids are 2, 3, 4, 5. in their world they are oblivious to religion, skin colour and gender, unless adults put the ideas in their heads. A girl that says she is a boy at the age of 2 may not mean that she is physically a boy, but that she prefers the activities and objects often associated with boys. Just as there is nothing wrong with a boy playing with dolls, there isn't anything odd or strange about a girl that might want to be spiderman or wear guys clothing, particularly if the girl lives in a household where being a boy is special.

[LeCharivari]

A child of 2 has no concept of gender, and at 5 is only starting on self understanding..

That's what jarred with me also, GK. At five, OK, I think girls and boys know that there are some differences, but at TWO?

... and I'd be very worried about any parents whose "daughter’s first sentence is that she’s a boy" - what on earth has their daughter been listening to?

... and just what were they putting a two year old in that would lead to "another full summer of bathing suit fights"?

The parents have now told the world and his uncle that their daughter's got a gender identification problem, from their church to everyone at the school, guaranteeing that she will be the centre of attention and labelled a freak (I am not saying that's what she is, just what she'll be called). Just what do some parents dress their 2, 3, 4 or 5 year olds in that would identify them so strongly as little boys or little girls that the TSA (or anyone else) would notice the difference?

Its a while ago and I can't remember what I thought about genders (if anything) at that age, but I can't see why this should have become such an issue that all and sundry would need to know and why anyone would deliberately want to make their child the centre of attention in this way.

[Jingthing]

Here's another perspective on the issues facing parents of transgender children more generally. Also how different this issue is than homosexuality. They have my deepest sympathies.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2012/05/31/parenting_transgender_kids_the_final_progressive_frontier_.html

These parents are the vanguard for anyone who believes that people should have the right to control their own bodies, and as they learn from and negotiate a way forward with their brave children, the rest of us should be taking copious notes.