Perhaps the most influential account is that gender dysphoric children have the minds and brains of the other sex, adult transgenderism is inevitable, and early transition to the other sex is the only humane option.
But this narrative is clearly wrong in one respect. Gender dysphoric children have not usually become transgender adults. For example, the large majority of gender dysphoric boys studied so far have become young men content to remain male. More than 80% adjusted by adolescence.
But this narrative is clearly wrong in one respect. Gender dysphoric children have not usually become transgender adults. For example, the large majority of gender dysphoric boys studied so far have become young men content to remain male. More than 80% adjusted by adolescence.
Eric Vilain is a professor of human genetics and pediatrics at the UCLA and director of the Center for Gender-Based Biology. J. Michael Bailey is a professor of psychology at Northwestern University.
A related point is not all people who have a discrepancy between their anatomic sex and their (so called) gender identity experience gender dysphoria. Some are well-adjusted enough to live normal lives.
ReplyDeleteAs a kid I apparently used to like to play with stuffed animals and sometimes I'd even include my sister's dolls. If my mom had been asked to take one of the current surveys and answer some questions about my childhood behavior, then it's possible I could've been labeled as something other than a developing normal heterosexual male.