 |
|||
 |
|
|
|
|
Gender Terminology  |
Isn’t This Just a Phase? For some children, expressing gender variation may be a phase*; for others, it is not. The longer a child has identified as cross-gendered, the easier it becomes for a parent to answer this question themselves. The answer may become clearer over time. Regardless of the eventual outcome, the self-esteem, mental well-being, and overall health of a gender variant child relies heavily on receiving love, support and compassion from their parents. If your child has expressed a cross-gendered identity since early childhood, it is unlikely they will change their mind. Most people have some sense of their gender identity between the ages of two and four years old. For most, this awareness remains stable over time. Identity becomes further refined at puberty onset and when puberty is more or less completed. For children whose gender variant identity has remained stable and unchanged, parents can expect this will continue throughout life. Their sense of themselves will only deepen. For example, a 12 year old child who has consistently asserted that he is a girl since the age of three will most likely remain cross-gendered throughout life. |
||
 |
|
||
web site design by Bigfish Smallpond