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An interesting article on BBC news app. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-36275877
BBC News: Inside England's only gender identity clinic for children
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Comments
There were two mentions of this on the Today programme
In the first they spoke to a professor who confirmed that most young children who claim gender discomfort go on to become gay and not transgender, but there are a small number who continue and go on to seek hormonal and surgical treatment.
In the second they spoke to Poppy and Colin. Poppy was certain she'd always be a girl and was nine. Colin wasn't so sure and at 14 wasn't taking any medication nor considered having any surgery other than 'top' done, at present he wore a breast suppressor.
Certainly it seems that access to more information encourages people to come forward to explore their gender issues 1400 children were referred in the past year, but only 32 had blockers administered. So I suspect that despite the media's frenzy that these places are turning boys into girls and so on, the number of children who go on to seek full transition is small. If it stops them self harming or worse, it has to be a good thing.
Angharad
Turning boys into girls
Media sensationalists drive me crazy.
It's about turning troubled human beings into confident human beings.
Be kind to those who are unkind, tolerant toward those who treat you with intolerance, loving to those who withhold their love, and always smile through the pains of life.
The programme ...
... to which Ang refers wasn't sensationalist in the slightest but treated the topic seriously and sensitively. When you consider the interviewer was John Humphrys, a Rotweiller when dealing with politicians, it was a good piece and he tried to use the right expressions throughout.
Robi
GID Treatment Development
Though I now live very successfully as a woman, it is quite doubtful that I would have actually transitioned had things been different. I think that in 100 years, perhaps people will simply live the way that pleases them. Perhaps in the year "2525" humans will live without gender until it is time for children and then either get one out of a tube, or take pills to temporarily develop reproductive organs.
The various cultures and gender roles of the world are now mixing so rapidly that it is hard to see the future very well. Here where I live, people seem to generally be done with any sort of LGBT prejudice. The Uber restrictive religious have learned to just shut up.
Hi Gwen,
Your thoughts about the future are very insightful. I wonder even, if every individual might, through medicine or surgery, have the options at one time to become a mother and another time a father. Though the skeletal alterations are difficult to foretell and that might need surgery. Then there is the mental aspect surrounding 'bi-parentalism'. Who indeed can tell.