RobertKK wrote: » Was the child born a hermaphrodite?
Grayson wrote: » There's very little detail there. Doesn't say if it's medical treatment or just identifying differently. I'd be hesitant about making judgements on it because of that it could be the beginnings of therapy etc. It might just be that the child is identifying differently and so they've started the process of actively counselling and studying so that if at a later stage the child is determined to be gender dysmorphic then they can, at that later stage, take action. That's smart. Study and examine just in case. (I wrote the above and then re-read and saw that the surgical change will take place next year. That does seem far too early. The kid's only been able to speak for a few years. Although I do think there are cases were transitioning can take place before puberty I think that's too early. It's worth waiting and studying to make sure rather than risk making a mistake).
Widdershins wrote: » I mostly agree but I wonder if the scrutiny of actively counselling and studying in itself would be harmful. I'd like to know what brought the parent/s to this point in the first place. Was it excessive scrutiny of the childs preferences or something?
seamus wrote: » Children have no filter, you'd be surprised how quickly and strongly gender identity asserts itself. It caught me by surprise, I always assumed you wouldn't see stereotypical boy/girl differentiation until they started school. Since she was about 18 months, my daughter has been declaring to all and sundry that she's a girl. And while overall she'd certainly be bought more girly things than boyish ones, she has always shown a clear preference towards girly clothes and imitating her mother more than her father. She doesn't necessarily prefer girly toys, even decided at one point that she was going to be a builder when she grows up. But there's no denying she's a girl, even if it wasn't biologically obvious. So I can see how you'd easily start thinking something is off if your female toddler started declaring that she was a boy or wanted to be a boy and wanted to dress like a boy and associate with male relations more than female ones.
seamus wrote: » Unilad quoting the mirror and the evening standard. Yeah, it would be silly to expect any useful information about this story whatsoever.
seamus wrote: Children have no filter, you'd be surprised how quickly and strongly gender identity asserts itself. It caught me by surprise, I always assumed you wouldn't see stereotypical boy/girl differentiation until they started school.
HamsterFace wrote: » So, have we thrown out the idea that gender is a social construct? Genuine question, not trying to be a smart arse