"Led by the child who simply knew": (Boston Globe, on a Child's Transition)

For trans children, at just how young an age is it appropriate to begin the transitioning process?

That's just one of the questions raised by this thought-provoking story from the Boston Globe last month, on Nicole and her family. (The implied answer would seem to be, to prepare the way early, but delay anything permanent (and that includes delaying "natural" processes, like the onset of puberty) until the decision to transition is definite and irrevocable.

Jonas and Wyatt Maines were born identical twins, but from the start each had a distinct personality.

Jonas was all boy. He loved Spiderman, action figures, pirates, and swords.

Wyatt favored pink tutus and beads. At 4, he insisted on a Barbie birthday cake and had a thing for mermaids. On Halloween, Jonas was Buzz Lightyear. Wyatt wanted to be a princess; his mother compromised on a prince costume.

Once, when Wyatt appeared in a sequin shirt and his mother’s heels, his father said: “You don’t want to wear that.’’

“Yes, I do,’’ Wyatt replied.

“Dad, you might as well face it,’’ Wayne recalls Jonas saying. “You have a son and a daughter.’’

-Read the full article at The Boston Globe.

The article also highlights the importance of a supportive family and school community - and Nicole's own mental strength. There came a point in her journey when the family became involved in political lobbying. She had encountered difficulties at school over usage of the girls' bathroom, and filed court proceedings against the school district for discrimination. A Republican state legislator then introduced legislation that would have repealed Maine's protection for transgender people in public restroom.

Last spring Wayne and Nicole roamed the halls of the State House, button-holing legislators and testifying against the bill. “I’d be in more danger if I went into the boys bathroom,’’ Nicole told the lawmakers, who ultimately rejected the bill.

“She knows how to work a room,’’ her father says proudly. “She even convinced a cosponsor to vote the other way.’’

Nicole freely acknowledges the difficulties ahead - but described the political engagement as a "perk":

“Obviously my life is not going to be as easy as being gender-conforming, but there are perks like being able to get out there and do things that will benefit the [transgender] community,’’ she says. “I think everything’s going to turn out pretty well for me.’’

As an aside to gthe main themes, I was amused by the self-description of Nicole's father (note the emphasis I added):

“As a conventional dad, hunter, and former Republican, it took me longer to understand that I never had two sons,’’ he told them. “My children taught me who Nicole is and who she needed to be.’’

Transgender children welcomed by the Girl Scouts of America

Children rejecting the sex they were born with is becoming a source of advocacy among mental health professionals

Transgender child, Roberto Montoyo

"The Girl Scouts of America has released a statement that welcomes boys into the organization as a growing number of transgender boys have shown an interest in joining. The statement comes after a 7 year old Colorado boy, Bobby Montoya, went their local Girl Scout registration and was was denied by a troop leader because of his gender. Montoya’s mother, Felisha Archuleta, says that Bobby prefers living as a girl and wanted to follow in his sister’s footsteps and join the Girl Scouts."

Young Bobby told 9 News that he felt like the denial was denying him of his chosen gender and made him feel bad.

Girl Scouts of Colorado quickly retracted the troop leaders denial and released the following statement:

“Girl Scouts is an inclusive organization and we accept all girls in Kindergarten through 12th grade as members. If a child identifies as a girl and the child’s family presents her as a girl, Girl Scouts of Colorado welcomes her as a Girl Scout. Our requests for support of transgender kids have grown, and Girl Scouts of Colorado is working to best support these children, their families and the volunteers who serve them…”

ACLU steps in to aid transgender Ga. elementary student

 "Tommy Theollyn, the father of a seven-year old transgender son, is trying to get his son, D., access to the boy's restroom at Todd Grant Elementary school in Townsend, Ga., after being told by the district's superintendent that the child must use the girl's restroom. Theollyn presented his case before the McIntosh County School Board on Sept. 15, and also gained support from the ACLU last week.

Theollyn claims that before the new school year began last month, he met with D.'s teacher about his son's transgender status. Theollyn says that the teacher was understanding of his son's unique situation and offered support, but when the new school year began, Theollyn said he was told his son would be required to use the girl's restroom."

The Ga Voice

Related articles

• D.C. Debuts Transgender Employment Program: Existing program enrolls first full class of transgender participants in apprenticeship program (pinkbananaworld.com)
• Alaska ACLU Sues On Behalf Of Transgender Drivers (bilerico.com)
• ACLU Says Schools Can't Deny Students Access To Gay Websites (alan.com)
• Sex-free British passports to help transgenders mooted (metro.co.uk)
• State Ordered To Issue New Birth Certificates To Trans Residents (huffingtonpost.com)

"All Kids Deserve to Reach for the Stars -- and Dance With Them, Too"

Chaz Bono's appearance on Dancing with the Stars has led to substantial commentary, for and against. Some of this is leading to discussion of really important, but neglected issues. For example, one common but myopic response in opposition, and to other lesbian or gay visibility on our television screens and in our streets, is that children could be "confused" by seeing these non-conformist images, and so might grow up confused about their own identity.

  

The obvious problem with this assessment, is that it is only relevant to those children who happen to be born with an innate orientation, biological sex and gender identity which conform squarely with the extreme positions of the relevant sexual, biological or gender continuum. Biological and social sciences have shown conclusively that life is not so simple. If Kinsey is to be believed, most of us are not all exclusively heterosexual or homosexual. We also know that a small but surprisingly significant minority of people are born who are neither wholly male nor wholly female, but one variety or another of intersexed - and for many others, their gender identity (the way their mental state sees themselves) differs from their biological sex.

(Extra)Ordinary Family: Inside the Transgender World

 "Young boys who say they are really little girls, girls who say they want to become men and their families who help cope with their children's extraordinary decisions are the people profiled in this week's edition of "Primetime Nightline."

From a 10-year-old who has felt trapped in the wrong body for years to a "trans-regret," a man who is one of the few people in the world to have changed his gender from a man to a woman and back again, "Primetime Nightline" looks at the issues surrounding transgender:

• At 10 years old, with tears in his eyes, Jackie told his parents "I'm a girl and I can't do this anymore." Within months, with his parents help, Jack becomes Jackie.
• Vanessa is 19 years old living and working in New York City. Vanessa was born as Pierry. At first, her immigrant family had a difficult time accepting their son as their daughter, but now that she has decided on surgery, they have come to support her.
• Five year old Dyson Kilodavis is just like any other little boy except he has loved to wear dresses since he was 2: beach dresses, wedding dresses, disco dresses, cheerleader outfits and especially princess dresses. 
• Kim Petras, a 19-year-old aspiring teen pop sensation from Cologne, Germany, was born as Tim Petras. Once a boy, Kim started living as a girl with long hair by age 10, and was tormented at school. By the time she was 11 she had found a sympathetic doctor who put her on blocker drugs that suppressed her male puberty.
• Charles Kane has what's been called "trans-regret" -- a product of his own extraordinary choices. He is one of the few people in the world to have changed his gender from a man to a woman and back again.

Read the full report at - ABC News