There was something on the news recently about a couple who has a 5 year old girl. They said the girl likes more boyish things than girly things and likes short hair, boys clothes, etc. So they immediately took their kid out of school, changed the kids name to a boy name. And enrolled the now-boy into another school as a boy where no one knows that he is biologically a she. Personally, I think five is WAAAAY too young to start any form of transitioning or identifying as trans. Mainly because at five, you have no sense of gender or anything. There may be signs that are later on figured out, but to actually go and do all that is a bit much. The article is here: Parents of five-year-old transgender boy Jacob Lemay share their son's transition story | Daily Mail Online Opinions? Just to clarify: I am ALL FOR the parents being supportive. I just feel that they should wait before labelling their child as transgender
way too young. I would almost go as far as to say child abuse. now if the kid was 15 or something, that would be totally different, he/she would have been expressing their feelings for a long enough time for it not to be a fad.
Yeah, I think that is way too young. I was pretty girly as a little boy; I even went so far as to call myself a girl's name sometimes. My parents would have been so wrong if they had decided I needed to "transition" at that age. I was just playing around. When I was a little older, I no longer even did a lot of that stuff.
I actually don't think the parents have done anything wrong here. I think you all are forgetting that no permanent surgeries such as top surgery or gender reassignment have happened, it's also safe to say that he is not on hormone blockers yet as well. All that has changed is his clothing, haircut, and the name and pronouns he wishes to be referred to. This kid obviously did not know what being transgender was before his parents told him, so there's no possibility that this is some sort of "fad". I'm also going to nip in the bud the notion that this is child abuse. They have done nothing wrong to their child, and have in fact made their child happier without in any way detrimenting his health.
They interviewed the child and the child stated that he "had to be known as Mia in school" when his parents changed his name to Jacob and wanted him to be known as Jacob in school. The parents also got his name changed and TOOK HIM OUT OF SCHOOL to go to another school to start life as a boy. I'm just saying to maybe WAIT before telling the child that he is, in fact, transsexual and that he should live life as a boy. What if it is just a phase and the parents confuse him even more?
That's awfully young, but I still think the parents are doing a good job of being supportive. And apparently the kid is happy, so... I think it's okay. They haven't done anything permanent, so he can always change his mind.
Too young. What if it turns out to be a phase? I mean, I know that there are trans who have felt that they're in the wrong body as young as him but this is still a child and they are known for changing their minds a lot. Like when I was younger, I was attracted to boyish things too and I played with the boys, wanted to dress like them, etc. and now I'm more or less "girly" but I kinda got over that. So what happens once he gets over it too?
Well it happens to be that they have not done anything permanent like top surgery or gender reassignment with their son, and he is still too young for hormone blockers. If he happens to be female, there's no harm no foul as he has not had anything done on his body yet. You do also realise that the "it's just a phase" argument can be used for sexual orientation as well, right? (I'm not just directing this at you, but also to others who have used that terminology) People who don't accept gay people can simply say it's just a phase too, so I would use caution when using the term. From what has been described, this is not a phase, and even if it is, like I said before, there is no harm done.
I think the parents mean well. Kids can know they're trans at that age. I don't think they're harming their child by allowing him to express himself, even if that does change down the road. It's not as if he's being put on hormones.
I understand and agree with what you're saying but I still think that five is a bit too young. At least the important thing is is that he looks happy and like others have said, his parents are there to support him so I guess it's all good.
It's great that they're supportive but they're definitely being way to rash. When I was five I liked boy clothes and acted boyish. But am I a trans guy? No. They definitely should wait. It's like they don't realize they could just be supportive by letting their kid dress and act how they want. It's like they're so supportive, they're unsupportive, taking it to the other extreme and now this poor kid is going to feel so pressured to fit this mold that their parents practically made for them. I hope they see the error in their ways and that the child eventually can be comfortable with who they are, no matter what their parents are doing.
It seems to me that's exactly what they're doing, though. They're letting him wear "boy clothes" & he's been more outgoing & comfortable with himself as a result. What's extreme about letting him go by another name or move to school that lets him be who he is? A school change is a not a permanent change, & cis kids go by their middle or nicknames from the time they're very young all the time, so that's no different. The kid said from the time he was 2 that he feels like a boy, so the child "made a mold."
We're not medically transitioning yet, so maybe we can lay off the judgment. I mean, what's the alternative? Force the kid to dress female until he's really really sure? If we were talking about SRS or hormone treatment, it would be a different story. I'm quite aware that in child and adolescent development, the person's identity is still forming, but we know certain things about ourselves. Whatever decisions the parents make to support their child will be fully mediated by psychologists and physicians who are trained in how to deal with the medical issues in an effective manner. I've had it with this commentary.
There's difference between being gender-non conforming (which many LGB folk are, even early on), and needing medical transition. When someone is visibly uncomfortable in their assigned gender role, body, expression, then... but that takes some of us longer to realize than others.
I would say too young, but I'm seeing that the parents have not done any surgery or hormone therapy. They should definitely wait till he is older for that. I'm glad the parents are supportive, though.
I meant too young to go through a transition (hormones and surgery). Sorry if you misunderstood me. He can wear whatever he feels comfortable with. Even the name change is fine.