What should you do if your son believes he is actually a girl, or your daughter is convinced that she is really a boy? To whom do you look for advice when you have to make this decision — a decision that can radically affect every aspect of your child’s future? How can you be sure you have the facts you need to make an informed decision? You need the whole story.
If a parent comes to you for advice, or if you feel compelled to approach the parent of a child or young person about whom you are concerned, what advice will you give? You also need the whole story.
You need to know:
What gender dysphoria is
Gender dysphoria is defined by the American Psychiatric Association as “a conflict between a person’s physical or assigned gender and the gender with which he/she/they identify” — a boy feels as if he is a girl or a girl feels as if she is really a boy and often state that they are the opposite sex.
The common treatment for this condition is currently “transitioning” to the opposite sex.
How “transitioning” works
The so-called “Dutch Protocol” sets the guidelines for this intervention, now practiced throughout the Western world. There are four phases, commonly known and accepted:
Phase 1: Social transitioning. The child adopts the name, pronouns, dress, and persona of the opposite sex.
Phase 2: Taking puberty blocking drugs. These drugs block the release of those hormones that would stimulate the production of sperm or ova as well as the secretion of the sex hormones, testosterone and estrogen. This commonly happens when the child is in elementary school.
Phase 3: Taking hormones of the opposite sex.
Phase 4: Surgical remodeling of the genitalia and other features of the natal sex such as the masculine “Adam’s apple” and distribution of hair.
According to popular belief, this treatment gives the child with gender dysphoria the best chance of happiness.
To be continued …
Related post: Becoming Nicole
