Carey 1 Rachael Carey Mr.

Jorgensen English 1010 4/30/14 Gender Dysphoria Walk into any public school and you will find yourself surrounded by an infinite amount of different personalities, attitudes and cultures. With all of these unique cultures there are still a few things out there that are not within the realm of normalcy. Though adolescents are becoming more accustomed to different family dynamics, same sex parents and peers, however when it comes to the transgender community there is still a lot of mystery and dated opinions. Gender dysphoria is a condition in which a person feels that there is a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity (nhs) this is what children are expressing at a very early age. Parents, peers and teachers will all have something to say, and these opinions can affect children for the rest of their lives. It all comes down to one simple thing; anyone of any age should be permitted to act, dress and self-identify as the gender they feel is authentic to which they really are. Children go through different phases and many times the traditional gender roles are bent or broken. Little girls who like to play sports and get dirty are labeled as tomboy or little boys that enjoy dolls or dress up are called sissy. Sometimes it isnt just a phase. Some children dont just want to play and act as the opposite gender, they want to be it. They will express this in such a manner that some parents stop, listen and try to understand, however, many parents adamantly push against it they actively try to make their child conform to the social norm. Due

Carey 2 to the shame they feel, they try to repress their feelings of fear and rejection which then comes a deep unhappiness that can become much more. School can either be a safe haven or a pretty frightening place. Schools have policies for just about everything and every state has different laws protecting different communities. The transgender community has struggled getting these equal protections. There are no laws protecting the transgender community from discrimination in the state of Utah, although there are three counties that have sexual orientation and gender identity antiemployment discrimination ordinances. The only law that can help to ensure some safety in our schools is the anti-bullying acts. In March of 2013, in Colorado a family went to court to defend their rights for their child to use the restroom that they felt was appropriate. Coy Mathis is just 6 years old; she has long blonde hair, beautiful eyes and a big smile. Coy has 4 siblings; she is one of a set of triplets surrounded by boy and girl toys and influences. Coy wanted nothing to do with the typical boy things. From 18 months Coy was as girly as she could get, loving pink, sparkles and dresses. The Mathis family sought advice, saw their pediatrician and went to therapists. With only two options available, either let the child express themselves or force them to conform, the Mathis family decided to just let Coy be Coy. Coy was diagnosed with gender identity disorder and started her transition in kindergarten. The other children in her class were very accepting, not knowing any better, although the school board had a different opinion. Coy would not be allowed to use the girls bathroom. In the end, after a fight for her rights, Coy and her family made it possible for her to now use the girls restroom. In 2013 the state of California passed a law that made it legal for students to choose for themselves which facilities they identify to. It was in retaliation that Representative Mike

Carey 3 Kennedy from Alpine Utah filed a bill in January 2014. Kennedys proposal would rely on a doctor's exam or birth certificate to settle any questions concerning which bathroom students may use. (Knox) Kennedys bill also addresses the definition of gender The bill specifically states that gender does not mean an individual's own opinion on their gender. (Hesterman) What Kennedy says he is trying to accomplish is just to make everyone comfortable, students and faculty alike. In my research for information about this topic I was able to talk to a few teachers and a social worker that specializes in LGBT adolescents. Something that I found interesting was the way young children approach the issue of gender roles in comparison to the older youth that have been exposed to the knowledge and influences of the world around them. Young children are unaware of anything being out of the norm and generally just go with the flow when it comes to gender issues. In the case of Coy Mathis "When the transition happened, some kids asked what happened, that Coy was a boy and is now a girl," said Kathryn Mathis. "The teacher said, 'Coy is a girl, and that's it.' Kids at that age are very accepting." (OConnor) Coy is in kindergarten, the children have very few preconceived ideas of the black and white gender lines that many people focus on. Somewhere along the way children become adolescents, the indifference or acceptance can become hateful and mean. Transgender students in secondary school are now facing a completely different problem dealing with puberty and their bodies transforming. A transgender student is dealing with a body that is fighting them in every way. This is around the time that many youth begin a hard road that can be littered with teasing and tormenting. Transgender students often feel unsafe in their school environment Transgender students experienced high levels of in-school victimization. The majority of students had been verbally harassed in school in the past year because of their

Carey 4 sexual orientation and gender expression, and many had also experienced physical violence. (Greytak) What is worse is when not only are their peers tormenting them but the faculty will not take any action when something is said or done A third of transgender students heard school staff make homophobic (32%) remarks, sexist (39%) remarks, and negative comments about someones gender expression (39%) sometimes, often, or frequently (Greytak). Most transgender youth go through secondary school scared and sometimes without any support. At school it is very important to have some sort of club or organization where students can feel safe and feel free to talk to supportive peers and adults. The knowledge that somebody cares can mean the world when you are surrounded by negativity. Children that come from supportive, progressive and understanding families will always be at an advantage, particularly when it comes to coming out, being open and transitioning at an early age. During my conversations with Jerry L. Buie, a licensed social worker that specializes in LGBT adolescents, he gave me some insight. The children that Jerry is able to see are the ones that come from families that care, they are more understanding and want what will be best for their child long term. The youth that he treats have a support system, much like Coy Mathis. Coys parents noticed at an early age and decided to take action and find out what would be best for her. Jerry wanted me to understand that it isnt necessarily the children that he sees that he is worried about, it is the ones that he doesnt. Most kids are repressed and scared from early on. Parents often approach their child with a desire for conformity, hoping that their child is just going through a phase. Transitioning is never an easy thing, mentally and physically, regardless of the age and situation. Starting a transition early can mean a world of difference. School can be much less trying and developing into a teen and young adult is much easier. Young Children that have been

Carey 5 diagnosed with gender dysphoria, dont start endocrine treatment (synthetic hormone treatment) until they have reached puberty. Once they have reached puberty they can start using hormones that will slowly change the way their bodies look and feel. Before puberty it is best to provide as much support and counseling as possible.Youth that start transitioning earlier versus later can mean a physical difference. Putting hormones into a body that hasnt fully developed means changing the way it will look early on and long term. On the other hand, along with youth comes immaturity, a lack of knowledge and wisdom. Experiences that develop you as a strong independent human being affect everything you do. Transitioning as an adult can also be life affirming. Having a support system and stability as an adult is easier and can make transitioning smoother. Transitioning as an adult removes the doubt that many parents and health care providers would be worried about. Children may feel one way now but could possibly feel another way in the future. The Endocrine Society found that 7580% of children who were diagnosed with gender dysphoria before they reached puberty did not have the condition after puberty. (nhs) (These children are usually not insistent at an early age, with persistence that they are another gender) The experience of transitioning as an adult is so completely different from transitioning as a child. Most people only go through puberty once, but as a transgender adult you go through it twice. Over the years, the term gender identity disorder has gotten a lot of backlash. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM is where healthcare professionals turn to define and diagnose mental disorders. In the past the DSM used the term gender identity to characterize transgender people as mentally ill. The DSM is now changing the term gender identity disorder to Gender Dysphoria this definition is leaving out any

Carey 6 mental illness, so that a transgender person can be treated properly when seeing a healthcare provider. Throughout history transgenderism has made its appearances, in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The idea of being trapped inside the wrong body is nothing new. Transgender and intersex people where seen to be holy and have bridged the gap of the sexes. Often priests or priestesses the ancients would refer to them as the great mother even here in North America, the American Indians consisted of some two spirited people that almost every tribe had. It has been prevalent throughout the world and through time, transgenderism has always been a part of our societies. Only in the more recent history have there been severe problems with acceptance. How is it we went from honoring those who could cross those line of gender differences and express how they feel, to looking down on them with disdain and as though they have a mental illness? Time has shown that it is our nature as humans to have these types of issues. Sometimes the body and the brain are not meant to be together. Every child deserves a safe, understanding facility to learn and grow as individuals. Teachers, administrators and faculty should be there to support and ensure safety for all students. Nobody should be afraid to go to school for fear of being harassed, called names or even allowed to use the bathroom. If all schools could adopt policies and provide education to ensure this safety it would only benefit our youth. If we can instill a non-biased, non-prejudiced education into our youth now, just imagine what the future would be like. All people from all walks of life able to see understand and learn from each other. This is what every person deserves, equality. With a little hard work and determination I believe that we can overcome our differences and let everyone express themselves the way they feel is true to who they really are. Every person should be able to lead an authentic life.

Carey 7 Works Cited Knox, Annie. Utah Proposal Dictates Transgender Bathroom Use, huffingtonpost.com 2014, web April 14, 2014 Hesterman, Billy. Bill Defines Gender For Bathrooms, heraldextra.com, January 2014, web April 15, 2014 OConnor, Colleen. Pediatricians See Growing Number Of Cross-Gender Kids Like Coy Mathis, denverpost.com March 2013, web April 16, 2014 Greytak, E. A., Kosciw, J.G., and Diaz, E. M. (2009). Harsh Realities: The Experiences of Transgender Youth in Our Nations Schools. New York: GLSEN. Web April 16, 2014 Nhs.uk, Treating Gender Dysphoria, , http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Gender dysphoria/Pages/Treatment.aspx, March 2012 web April 17, 2014