Very little is known about transgendered kids because until recently the authorities wouldn’t even acknowledge their existance. I suppose some people think transgender adults hatch out fully formed from under rocks or something.
That’s a good question, I just found an interesting link that I will read in depth when I have more time (I’m at work now…) Some of the causes have been definitely identified as biological, I don’t know about the rest, or which cause specifically pertains to the child in question.
Gender Dysphoria on eMedicine . This also lists the diagnostic criteria for children.
No question that there’s biology underlying transgenderism, at least in many cases. But I’ve never heard any suggestions that it can be used as a diagnostic technique. Is there solid evidence that kids’ perceptions of their gender are permanent enough to be useful psychologically?
I think the child should try with his old school first. He probably allready has friends there who may accept the change (I susspect he was a tom boy before and likely has several male friends already). Also at 9 years old his school compatriates are probably in a good situation (pre-puberty) to have a go at accepting him how he is. That said a backup plan for another school or private teaching would be wise in case a significant number of people at his old school go against him.
More scary/interesting question for me is if he should be given hormone treatment through the start of puberty? How certain is his gender at the age of 9? Might he become more female if he is exposed to the female hormones that his currently female body will likely produce? Should his parents have the right to allow him medical intervention to counteract those hormones?
The moving to a new school route suggests that no one at the new school will know that the child is physically a girl. That’s very different from, and I suggest much more potentially damaging, than being honest in an enviroment where you are already seen as a person.
Unless you are suggesting they transfer into a new school as openly transgendered. Which, honestly, sounds awful: " Ok, class, can we give a big class welcome to Johnny, who pees like a girl?" God, talk about the stuff of a South Park episode.
From what I gather, no hormones or physiological treatments will start until after the age of 18.
No hormones until 18. The use of antiestrogenic drugs is permitted under the Standards of Care after the initial onset of puberty (which means menarche, for a female-to-male). The SoC requires that the patient experience the onset of puberty before the decision to use antiestrogenic or antitestosteronic medications as something of a “test” of the accuracy of the patient’s identification (as far as I can tell).
A considerable amount of effort has been put into trying to understand the development of gender in juveniles; to say that the medical establishment is shooting in the dark when they determine that a given patient is a candidate for a juvenile transition is an opinion necessarily founded in ignorance.