User:Nrudisill/sandbox

For my article entry I am going to discuss the parent effect on gender non-conforming children and the needs of gender non-conforming children and families. This is going to improve the article page because it is going to give readers an understanding of what tools gender non-conforming children must have to continue living a successful life during their transformation. It will also allow readers to understand the different types of families that affect gender non-conforming children. Below is a summary of the work I am putting together for the page.

Parental reactions/effects on Gender nonconforming children

Parents with gender non-conforming children often do not know where to turn to express their feelings. Many parents accept their child’s choice but are more concerned for the overall well being of the child. In some cases families are not accepting of their child’s non-conformity and cannot understand that their child truly feels that they are another gender. Regardless of the stance a parent decides to take on gender non-conformity, it will affect the child and the child’s relationship with the family. Transphobia can occur when gender nonconforming children are met with others who do not understand or accept what they are going through. Dr. Diane Ehrensaft states that, “Transphobia is the anxieties, prejudices, aspersion, aggression, and hatred cast on individuals who do not accept the gender assigned to them at birth but instead play outside that definition of self or perhaps any binary categorizations of gender, possibly to the extent of altering their body (Ehrensaft 2011). " Transphobia can become a serious conflict within the family and can damage the relationship the child has with his or her family. Parents who recognize that they have gender non-conforming children sometimes experience a feeling of loss and mourning, shame, and grief (Ehrensaft 2011) Ehrensaft cites that there are three family types that can affect the outcome of a child gender non-conforming journey to finding themselves: transformers, transphobic, and transporters (Ehrensaft 2011) Transformers are parents that are comfortable in supporting their child in their gender variant journey and can easily identify their child as a separate person. Ehrensaft states, “these parents will stand a good chance of overcoming whatever transphobic reactions may reside within them to evolve into parents who both meet their child where he or she is and become an advocate for their gender nonconforming child in the outside world (Ehrensaft 2011).” Transphobic parents are not comfortable in their own gender, and may not understand that gender is fluid. Transphobic parents may feel their child is an extension of themselves and respond negatively when their child is faced with his or her own adversity. Ehresaft believes these parents deny their child with an excess of negativity and transphobic “reactivity” this allows the child no room for nonconformity and undermines the love the parent claims to have for the child.

Transporters are parents that appear to be completely accepting of their child’s gender nonconformity but on the inside have doubts about whether or not it is an authentic conformity. Transporter parents may say things like “ It’s just a phase,” or “he or she will grow out of it.” Needs of Gender Variant Families and Children There is still controversy regarding the best approach for gender non-conforming children (Riley, et al. 2013) but as gender nonconformity becomes more widely accepted many parents and professionals have identified things that gender variant or gender non-conforming children need to easily adjust to their transformation. Parents have suggested that their children need the ability to discuss their gender non-conformity freely with their parent, to be loved throughout their transformation, and to be permitted to make choices regarding their gender on their own. They have also suggested a peer support team and supportive counseling in addition to support from their school and schools administrators and authorities (Riley, et al. 2013). In regards to their own needs, parents have suggested that they need information regarding gender non-conforming children that can better assist them and their child in making a transition. Additionally, parents have stated they need increased education on gender non-conforming children, support from surrounding friends and family to help build parental confidence. Parents have also suggested they need counseling to help provide direction, support from medical professionals and peers, and access to transgender people to help provide them with a positive portrayal of transgender communities.