The world separates us into two categories: female and male. If you're a girl, as soon as you're born, you're adorned with pink frilly dresses and are "told" to play with Barbies. Boys, on the other hand, embrace race cars and anything but pink. The news story, as reported by ABC Nightline, acknowledges that in certain cases, it's not so black and white when it comes to gender identity. The article follows the life of 10 year old Jack (currently Jackie), who declared to her parents that she is in fact, a girl. From early on, Jack, who is anatomically male, had no interest in race cars, he preferred to dance and wear pink. Six months ago, his parents decided they would let Jack live as Jackie, a transgender girl. Jackie now wears make up and will soon take medication that will stop male puberty from occurring.
Simply put, transgender individuals do not identify with their biological gender. Though it is more prevalent for people to "come out" and live as their 'true' selves today, they are still ostracized and not accepted in most communities. I cannot imagine the agony of feeling like you are in a wrong body, especially as a child. Early childhood is a time to not have a care in the world and not the time to defend your gender. After these brave children announce their gender to the world, they are met with dissapointment and scorn by our society. I do have high hopes for the generations to come to be more welcoming of diversity. In my opinion, you do not have to understand it in order to accept it.
ABC Nightline states, "you can't force kids to be a gender they don't think they are. Gender identity isn't a choice; it's set at birth. Kids know whether they're a boy or a girl on the inside by the age of three or four...the earlier in life kids make the social transition, which means living in the world as the gender they feel they are, the better these at-risk children function". Our society has not yet fully accepted homosexuality, yet alone the transgender community, so I can see why these parents are frightened for their children. Transgender individuals are prone to discrimination and acts of violence. ABC further explains, "we often ask parents, would you rather have a dead son than a live daughter? These kids have a suicide rate that is astronomical compared to any other group".
These families truly are extraordinary. It's one thing to be the outsider looking in, but it can't be easy when your precious son tells you he doesn't feel like a boy. In my opinion, it takes courage to go outside of what our society deems "normal" and stand up for your son or daughter by supporting them. What about you? Would you let your son/daughter change their gender, or would you take them to psychotherapy to "fix" them? What is the correct decision, and is there one?
I don't know how I would react to this situation. At first I think I would take them to church and have the Pastor pray that the spiritual bondage be broken. I don't think God made them that way but that spiritual curses have been passed down. It's scary to think the actions we did or our ancestors have done can affect our children. It is very important to cast off these things before you start a family because trut be told we don't know what the past holds! I would love my child if this were thecase andI wouldn't alienate them by no means. I don't know if I would let them live as the opposite sex especially that young. If I chose to do so I would probably move to another area and let them start over as that sex because kids are cruel and the torment they would endure if anyone knew would be horrific! As to fixing them psychotherapy can'tdo it only God can!
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