Help for accepting a gender non-conforming child

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Transcription:

I think what people often don’t understand about these young people is- They have a perception that this is somehow, a trendy thing to do, that this is a passing phase, that this is something they're receiving some benefit from doing. And I think it’s really important to understand that these young people get no societal benefit from being transgender. It’s not like wearing bell-bottoms, or whatever the newest fashion craze is. It’s not like liking some kind of an artist, or something that’s going to get you peer affirmation. This is a totally different thing. Pursuing an authentic life in your gender is a totally different ballgame. Our gender is a core part of who we are. It makes up who we are. Not being able to live authentically is terribly tragic. So the reason that I do this work, and what I experience with these young people, is this pursuit of authenticity. These young people have courage, they have tenacity, and strength that we don’t see a lot of nowadays, and so for them to do that means- That tells us how much of a core part of their selves this gender is to them

Video Categories: ALL PARENTS, Family Life, Gender Differences, PRESCHOOL, Development and Health, Gender Identity, TEEN, Sexuality and Body Image, Transgender Kids

Johanna Olson, MD, shares advice for parents on how to accept a gender non-conforming child and explains the challenges that the child can face

Transcript

Expert Bio

Johanna Olson, MD

Medical Director, Center for Transyouth Health and Development, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Johanna Olson, MD is a pediatrician in the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Medical Director of the hospital’s Center for Transyouth Health and Development. She specializes in the care of transgender youth, gender variant children, youth with HIV, and chronic pain. Board certified in Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Dr. Olson is also an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. She has appeared on ABC's 20/20, The Dr. Phil Show, CNN, Dateline NBC and The Doctors to educate audiences about the needs of transgender youth.

Parenting expert on: Gender Differences, Gender Identity, Body Image, Transgender Kids

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