{"id":44,"date":"2015-04-17T11:48:31","date_gmt":"2015-04-17T15:48:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/caslabs.case.edu\/anxiety\/?page_id=44"},"modified":"2023-03-22T09:57:27","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T13:57:27","slug":"gender-variant-youth","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/caslabs.case.edu\/anxiety\/gender-variant-youth\/","title":{"rendered":"Gender Variant Youth"},"content":{"rendered":"
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image by Steve Rainwater<\/p><\/div>\n

The term transgender describes individuals \u201cwhose gender identity, gender expression, or behavior does not conform to that typically associated with the sex to which they were assigned at birth\u201d. Usually the term is used with adults who have begun or completed a social or physical transition from their sex assigned at birth to their preferred sex. The terms \u201cgender variant\u201d or \u201cgender creative\u201d are more often applied to children and adolescents.<\/p>\n

Less than 1% of the population would identify as transgender (including children and adults). Only between 2.5% and 20% of children and adolescents who would identify as gender variant will continue to identify with a gender \u201cinconsistent\u201d with their biological sex into their teenage years and early adulthood (Korte et al., 2008).<\/p>\n

Gender Variant Youth and Psychological Functioning<\/h3>\n

Gender variant children often experience elevated risks for psychological symptoms, with the most frequent symptoms being depression and anxiety and behavioral disorders (Wallien, Swaab, & Cohen-Kettenis, 2007). Gender variant youth also experience higher than average rates of suicidality. In one study, 26% of gender variant youth reported at least one previous suicide attempt, 45% of the sample had \u201cseriously considered\u201d suicide, and 20% reported \u201csometimes\u201d or \u201coften\u201d having serious thoughts of suicide (Grossman & D\u2019Augelli, 2007). Slightly less than half of the sample considered their suicidal thoughts to be related to being transgender.<\/p>\n

Gender Variant Youth Reports about Their School Environment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
82%<\/td>\nFelt unsafe at school due to their transgender identity<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
90%<\/td>\nOften or frequently experienced transphobic or homophobic harassment<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
44%<\/td>\nHad been punched, kicked, or injured with a weapon at least once per year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
62%<\/td>\nWere the victims of cyberbullying<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
67%<\/td>\nHad property stolen or destroyed by peers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
76%<\/td>\nExperienced unwanted sexual remarks and\/or touching from peers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
39%<\/td>\nOften or frequently heard staff members make negative comments about an individual\u2019s gender expression<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
80%<\/td>\nReported that staff members did not intervene most of the time when hearing homophobic or negative comments about an individual\u2019s gender expression<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
52-55%<\/td>\nAvoided locker rooms or school bathrooms due to concerns about being abused by peers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

From Kosciw, Greytak, Diaz, & Bartkiewicz, 2010<\/p>\n

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image by Nenad Stojkovic<\/p><\/div>\n

Parents of Gender Variant Youth<\/h3>\n

There is little research on the parents of gender variant youth. What little research exists identifies common themes in their processing of their child\u2019s transition, including:<\/p>\n