For the past several decades, scholars in queer studies have made significant progress in understanding the interpersonal relationships of queer people with their gender. Many transgender and non-binary people tend to experience gender dysphoria. According to Zucker et al. (2016), gender dysphoria is a disorder that describes the person’s dissatisfaction with their biological sex. Gender dysphoria usually develops during puberty when the child begins to recognize their first and secondary sexual characteristics. Therefore, parents of queer adolescents must be provided with the information on how to support their children during this stressful period.
Not all transgender and non-binary people have gender dysphoria; however, the parent must communicate with their child if the latter experiences the symptoms. Kaltiala-Heino et al. (2018) report that 0.17% to 1.3% of adolescents are transgender. One way to support young adults that identify as non-binary or transgender is to give them mental health care and understand how to begin their transition correctly. Butler et al. (2018) advise that medical professionals who provide physical health care must consult with their psychosocial colleagues to understand how to deal with the distressed queer youth. It is a crucial step to estimate other stressful indicators non-related to gender dysphoria.
Gender dysphoric disorder causes extreme discomfort that severely affects a person’s relationship with self-image and might even lead to more serious mental health issues such as depression. De Vries et al. (2016) suggest that “fostering greater acceptance of a variation in gender expression” reduces the “co-occurring psychopathology in children and adolescents with gender dysphoria” (p. 586). The parent’s involvement and care significantly relieve the hardships of the child who might experience pressure from peers, which usually results in one’s alienation from others.
In conclusion, it is crucial to perform up-to-date care for children with gender dysphoria because it is a severe condition that negatively affects daily life. Gender questioning is a frequent and expected behavior for any child; therefore, it becomes difficult to estimate an exact prevalence of gender dysphoric disorder. Supporting a child during puberty, combining both professional physical and mental healthcare, will make the transition easier for every party involved.
References
Butler, G., De Graaf, N., Wren, B., & Carmichael, P. (2018). Assessment and support of children and adolescents with gender dysphoria. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 103(7), 631-636. Web.
de Vries, A. L., Steensma, T. D., Cohen-Kettenis, P. T., VanderLaan, D. P., & Zucker, K. J. (2016). Poor peer relations predict parent-and self-reported behavioral and emotional problems of adolescents with gender dysphoria: A cross-national, cross-clinic comparative analysis. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 25(6), 579-588. Web.
Kaltiala-Heino, R., Bergman, H., Työläjärvi, M., & Frisén, L. (2018). Gender dysphoria in adolescence: Current perspectives. Adolescent Health, Medicine and Therapeutics, 9, 31-41. Web.
Zucker, K. J., Lawrence, A. A., & Kreukels, B. P. (2016). Gender dysphoria in adults. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 12, 217-247. Web.