Butch Femme Planet - 'I am a boy' insists child born a girl

Butch Femme Planet (http://www.butchfemmeplanet.com/forum/index.php)

- General Gender Discussions (http://www.butchfemmeplanet.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=111)

- - 'I am a boy' insists child born a girl (http://www.butchfemmeplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1027)

'I am a boy' insists child born a girl

I saw this story on FaceBook this morning and was overjoyed! It is so wonderful and rewarding to see parents who truly love and support their children NO MATTER WHAT!

http://www.news-journalonline.com/ne...rn-a-girl.html

Jenn,

Thank you for posting this story!! What joy! :pile:

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustLovelyJenn (Post 66839)

Thanks for posting this. What I like seeing is that over time media articles are becoming more accurate when it comes to gender versus sexual orientation issues. Meaning, they are less often conflating the two, and I have seen them quite often making a point of saying that one has nothing to do with the other. I like that.

It is so wondergful to read such a story of parents who are Present enough with their child to know his Truths.

and I commend the media for such a warm human interest story about trans people

the world, it be achanging..right before our eyes. And while it might not impact us yet, for some it is, like this boy, as he can testify.

you know, I do hope someday people wont look at me like I have three heads when I say I have dated FtMs. I dont get the startle reaction anymore for dating "females". And most people kinda get the concept of butch women/male ID'd butches when I explain what kind of "woman" I am attracted to. But I still get the startle reaction when I say I have dated trans folks. But then again, I get it when I say I have dated bio men too.

One person even asked how she would know what gender someone was, if she saw me out with someone who "looked" male.

I said, "oh honey, dont worry your little head about it. Just say hi and act like you are a nice person and assume s/he is too."

sorry for the slight derail...

Amazing.. I wish everyone could have parents that loving and supportive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by softness (Post 66880)

Hun, you can derail my threads whenever you like :) as long as people are talking, that's the goal, no matter where the conversation leads

An inbetween pronoun

Language is an inherently limited tool to explain our world, ourselves and each other. But, it's what we got.

I am of a couple (or more) minds in regards to stories like this one. And I know that one news story can not explain every little aspect to the story it is trying to report.

But I think about what I would do in this situation.....and....honestly, I am not sure I would allow my child (under a certain age) to define their gender for themselves. I realize that by posting this I am risking igniting a powder keg in here. But I do that sometimes, take these risks for the sake of discussion.

So, to further explain myself.

I think I would exhaust all attempts to explain gender (body parts) and preferences (personality traits) and to explain that our society labels us according to the body parts, period, right or wrong. I would go on to explain that when the child is old enough, they can decide to change those body parts or even define themselves differently without changing anything physically, but until then, we will have to go with the body parts definition.

And this is where I wish there could be an in between pronoun, but there isn't.

And before I get too roughed up as a reaction to this post, please hear me when I say:

I told my mother I was going to grow up to be a boy. And in first grade I signed some of my school work "Tony" (just found these papers recently - what a revelation).

I think gender as a binary experience is the problem. The claiming of one gender excluding the claiming of the other is the problem. Not whether a child believes they are one or the other.

Quote:

Originally Posted by key (Post 66903)

This is a very good point. One that I am sure any parent would have to consider under similar circumstances. As a mother I know that my children mature at different levels, because of this I believe that their maturity, more then their physical age would guide my choices. By all accounts this child is mature beyond his years. He has not only stated his intentions but is politically aware. I too would chose to explain all the realities and connotations of his actions before I would agree to back his decision, but in the end, I support my children one hundred percent. I would like to think that I would do the same thing. Support his choice of gender the same way I would support his choice of religion, friends, or clothing. I believe in educated decisions, but I also believe in making decisions for themselves early on.

So lets say my parents had been evolved enough in their generation to get that when they called me their second son, they were really referring just to me wanting to be a boy, and not the actual fact that I claimed boy before they said ok, we'll aqueous to my being a boy. What you are saying is that because I was young I had no thought as to who I was, nor could I make that claim, is that right?
Children are more aware of who they are than you think. They have complex personalities and can actually take control of who they are.
I will always listen to that child, and if they say they are different from what society says is "normal" I will always stand up for that child to be who they say they are.
There is a medical reason as well to listening and acting on this particular child's needs. The mother stated she didn't want her child to have even one period. There are hormonal decisions that must be made in this case for that to happen, and the sooner the JQ public accepts that these parents have this child's best interests at heart, the better off this child will be.
Kudos to the parents for listening to their child. Perhaps he will grow up and not contemplate suicide as a means to correct a mistake.

Kids ca define their gender pretty early on.