Kids these days! You guys may be interested to hear that an Austrian boy started taking hormones at twelve-years old in his effort to become a woman. Or, rather, a girl.
While some families would refuse their child’s wishes, dismissing them as part of a larger phase, the boy’s parents realized their son would never be comfortable with his biological body. According to an article from Der Spiegel:
At the age of two, Tim tried on his older sister’s clothes, played with Barbies and said, “I’m a girl.” Her parents thought it was a phase, but at the age of four Tim was still bawling after every haircut. At last he ran into his room with a pair of scissors and hollered that he wanted to “cut off my thing!” — and it was clear to his parents that the problem was serious. From then on, at home, Tim went by “Kim.”
Certainly there has been protest, including opposition from the family pediatrician, who insists they’re acting a little too hasty. The family, however, maintains they’ve made the right decision. Now, two years on, “Tim” lives quite happily as “Kim”.
We’re not sure how we feel about this one. Certainly we’re pleased this kid has finally found happiness, but we have to admit that the idea of starting hormone therapy so early rubs us the wrong way. Yes, it ensures he’ll develop more girlish features, rather than having big “man hands” like some people who go through the process later in life, but it does seem a bit drastic. Although, then again, we knew we were total fags from day one, so who’s to say this kid’s not on to something… So, will this spark a new trend of teenage trannies? Who knows. According to tranny activist Persia West, however, it’s not as unusual as one might thing. She tells Pink News UK:
There is a clinic in London that deals with children but normally they will treat them chemically to stop adolescence.
In the UK doctors wait until someone is 18 before considering surgery and that can be very traumatic for transgender people.
But, we’re sure, not as traumatic as feeling like an alien in your own body.
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What are your thoughts on this matter, reader? Is 12 years old too young to start changing one’s gender or is it the best possible route to growing into a healthy adult?
Hunter Hoope
I really don’t have a problem with it….except for the fact that there may be some health concerns. I am in no way an endocrinologist or anything of the sort…so I don’t know what health issues may arise from this, but I’m sure that there must be some.
Also, I know I’ve changed a hell of alot from 12 years old….who’s to say that this kid isn’t going to regret the decision? I think alot more has to change in the world for this to be an effective process for children. Such as in-depth therapy and psychological assessment before the hormone therapy and surgery is done.
Ash
Wow…that’s a tough one. I didn’t even know I was a lezzie until I was nineteen, though I knew I was at least bi since thirteen. Sounds like Kim knows what she’s doing, though, since she knew her penis didn’t belong since the age of two. I say bravo to the progressiveness of her parents. I don’t think there should be a law or standard for tranny transitioning, I think it should be on a case-by-case basis. Everyone is different. When I was three I wore only pink, sported pigtails and was obsessed with dolls and ballet. Now, while I’m not at all butch, I’m definitely not femme either and often find men easier to relate to. But if you told my mom (or me) what a big dyke I was going to be she would have laughed in your face.
Ash
Wow…that’s a tough one. I didn’t even know I was a lezzie until I was nineteen, though I knew I was at least bi since thirteen. Sounds like Kim knows what she’s doing, though, since she knew her penis didn’t belong since the age of two. I say bravo to the progressiveness of her parents. I don’t think there should be a law or standard for tranny transitioning, I think it should be on a case-by-case basis. Everyone is different. I certainly changed. When I was three I wore only pink, sported pigtails and was obsessed with dolls and ballet. Now, while I’m certainly not butch, I’m definitely not femme either and often find men easier to relate to. But if you told my mom (or me) what a big dyke I was going to be she would have laughed in your face.
phil
There are three parts to this: gender, sex, and sexuality. No matter when you know you’re gay (on the inside) it really isn’t defined until puberty. And what if Tim, nee, Kim, goes through various procedures and grows up to be attracted not to Kyle, but to Karen? To go through m-to-f transformation is tough enough, to realize that you’re an m-to-f trans with lesbionic tendencies sure wouldn’t make things better, especially at the ripe age of 12.
Besides, gender is man made cultural concept. Any forensic scientist will tell you that DNA doesn’t lie; no reason to change your physical set up because you like to play with dolls…
Renee
As others have said here before me this IS a tough one. I’m transsexual and I’ve been through the “process” in my late thirties and early forties. Which was traumatic enough. I might be a bit old school about this, but I think puberty should be stopped with hormone blockers (androcour, spironolactone) until the child is a bit older. This is a kind of a happy medium.
If the child decides later this isn’t for them they can continue with puberty as usual, if it is for them then they can continue transitioning.
Transitioning is no small deal. It takes every ounce of your inner strength to deal with the world and the changes in your emotion and physical well being.
Now, I don’t think people should have to wait until they are my age to make this decision, but I think 18 years old is good age to start changing your physical self.
Someone said something on this board about “DNA”, but DNA has nothing to do with your inner sense of self. I think they meant “chromosomes”, but even chromosomes don’t determine your gender identity. Chromosomes merely start a cascade of events that can be interrupted at any point to determine a different outcome. Any children are born with chromosomes that do not match their gender identity or gender presentation. So, if you think our chromosomes have anything to do with are self image, you are way behind scientific fact. XY doesn’t necessarily mean male or man, and XX doesn’t necessarily mean female or woman. It just means that at the end of gestation there is a highly favorable chance that the child will be physically and mentally sexed the way we associate these pairings of chromosomes to biological sex, and by social determination gender.
And who gave you folks permission to call us “trannies� I’m sure I would get into hot water for calling most gays men faggots, and I don’t because I respect what they have been through in society. I don’t think it would be too much of a stretch to ask the same courtesy. So, nix the “trannie†this and “tranny†that crap. In my opinion it disrespectful of the trans experience.
Renee
I meant to say many children, not any children, sorry about that! And how much is many? Well, it’s about 4% of the world population, which on first glance may not see like a big number. But if you multipy it by 8 billion, that’s alot of chromosonal variation.
Obviously I am speaking of intersex children. Many transsexual people myself included beleive that we experience of form intersex, but to our brains and not our bodies. And when I say this I mean no disrespect to intersex people at all. Intersex people deal with some different issues than TS people and I wouldn’t want to anyone to confuse the two.
Transsexualism is being supported by more data every year indicating that being TS is a congenital birth anomoly due some form of endocrine disruption. The word isn’t out on the etiology of TS people though, so it would be premature to make any concrete statements about etiology. More research is needed, but under G.W>’s watch it isn’t going to happen. Anything to do with sex, gender, AIDS research is under attack by the current administration.
Maybe some day we’ll get the psycho-sexual stigma associated with our identities replaced with a medical model based on the HBIGDA standards of care which transsexual people follow to change our physical selves and live our lives in accordance with people we know we are in our hearts. I can only hope this happens in my lifetime. I would really like to see the TS people coming after me meet with less hassle than I did. Only time will tell. -Renee