Transgender Children

 

 

Not everyone’s individual sense of gender identity matches with their physical gender characteristics. Being transgender is a gender description for someone whos gender does not match the one assigned to them at birth.

 

There are psychosocial and medical possibilities to prevent the development of gender characteristics to prevent a preson from going through puberty as the gender assigned to them at birth. For transgender children is this enormously important.

 

If you are transgender the consequence of going through puberty may feel hard because the changes happening to your body might not line up with your gender identity. Some young transgender people may decide to take puberty blocker which are a medicine that prevents puberty from happening. The puberty blocker blocks the hormones testosterone and estrogen which are responsible for puberty-related changes in your body. Puberty blockers can stop for example: periods, breast growth, voice-deepening and facial hair growth.

 

There are two kinds of puberty blockers:

1. Histrelin acetate that goes under the skin and lasts for one year and

2. Leuprolide acetate, which works for one, three or four month.

Also transgender girls can use anti-androgens to lower the testosterone in their bodies.

 

 

Like all adolescents, transgender children are highly dependent on adults. Because of that the private environment of the children plays a big role in whether they are supported in their personal development or not.

Often, the life of transgender people is influenced by the fear about the reaction of coming-out and discriminatory treatment. For developing a healthy self-esteem and self-confidence it is elementary that young transgender people have a supportive environment.

 

It is especially important for transgender children to be addressed with their chosen names and preferred pronouns. Moreover, it is important that if your child is transgender, that you accept the feelings of your child and take it serious.

 

But how can parents detect that their child might be transgender? Experts says that simply looking at a childs choice of hobby or clothing are not a clear indication. Rather, there has to be a pressure of suffering associated with the sex assigned to them at birth. Some children already say at the age of five that they feel they are born in the wrong body.

 

 

The current situation of transgender children in Germany is still very difficult. Children are usually deprived of their selfdiagnostic abilities. Many health practitioners deny that a young child can feel their sex so clearly. Parents also report that they were often ashamed of their children’s feelings and tried to suppress or change it. The situation at schools is often difficult. Firstly because of the ignorance that transgender children often face from teachers. Secondly the lack of legal basis for the protection of personality and a legally determined permission to use their chosen name. Further problems might be the use of the "right" bathroom and the issue of where the children should change their clothes for sport class.