Gender nonconforming, gender identity and gender binary are topics seldom used in conversation involving children. In one discussion when people were asked to define the word gender many of them said it meant someone was male or female. The true meaning of the word gender translates to people and their behavior and characteristics, whether masculine or feminine. Equally important when the prefix trans is added to gender and the word transgender is formed many people immediately think it is homosexual or transsexual in nature. The truth is transgender people are not gay nor do choose to have the characteristics of someone of the opposite sex. In other words Transgenderism is not a choice for these children. In the article “I am a girl” by (Eric Alder) he writes A.J. says to his mother “Mom, "Do you know that I 'm a girl? I 'm really a girl on the inside" (Alder). This is a four year old child telling his parent that he knows who he is in terms of his gender identity. Transgender children are misunderstood and their parents are vilified simply because they are different. Transgender children face similar and different reaction from parents, educators and friends.
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Many parents of transgender children initial reaction to their child’s transgenderism is that their child is going through a phase. In the twenty/twenty interview listening to Jazz, Jazz’s mother says “a phase is called a phase because it ends and this is not ending, this is just getting stronger” (Walters).
Hightower
Many parents of transgender children initial reaction to their child’s transgenderism is that their child is going through a phase. In the twenty/twenty interview listening to Jazz, Jazz’s mother says “a phase is called a phase because it ends and this is not ending, this is just getting stronger” (Walters).
Hightower