Parents of 4-year old transgender child - This Morning interview.

Hithere

I see it as raising awareness and normalizing being transgender.
Am I the only one?

I thought that was probably their aim, and possibly to help other parents who have to deal with this.
Judging from the comments on this thread I don't think they've managed it.

My post was in answer to Hithere

If this was an 18 year old adult raising awareness then it would be different.

This is a 4 year old child being paraded on national television by the parents.
Awareness can be raised about the subject without using a child as an example, a young child who cannot give consent.

Wow what a lot of judgemental and critical posts. I don't see any reason to question the parent's story. I met the child I know when he was about 2 and was still named as a girl although he was quite vocal and insisting he was a boy Neither of the parents influenced him, they simply adapted to his wishes. He now has a boy's name and is living as a boy.
By all means criticise the parent's decision to go on the TV, but their story is perfectly credible.

I see it as raising awareness and normalizing being transgender.
Am I the only one?

Katie59 I absolutely agree with you. I was a tomboy, the 'boy' in the family. I wanted to be a boy until mid teens. I was always comfortable in my body, I had a slim build and am small busted anyway.

Even as an adult I have been accused of acting and thinking like a man. I spent most of my working life in a male environment and enjoyed it there.

My reaction is that you come to terms with who you are and if that means you are often at odds with the world, so be it.

Parading children around because they are different or trying to make them be what they are not is equally damaging and unproductive. Just let them be themselves and treat that as normal, their normal.

GillT57 : You said "Are the parents just trying to show how wonderful and understanding they are?

No they are showing there is something seriously wrong and to have had these weird notions that the child was transgender since it was 18 months old needs to be investigated.

Kali2

Something is seriously wrong here- and not the child.

In a nutshell!

Something is seriously wrong here- and not the child.

Iam64

This ‘interview’ is my first (and last ) experience of the Good Morning programme.

Why do these parents think it’s ok to go on this programme to discuss their child in this way? The child isn’t able to give informed consent.

My feelings exactly. What about the child's privacy? Irrespective of one's views on gender stereotyping, this child is being discussed on national TV and this programme will forever come back to haunt them. Are the parents just trying to show how wonderful and understanding they are?

In regard of the original poster and now I have watched the link they put up, I am finding it hard to believe that an 18 month old toddler can make the distinction as to what body type they wish to be in. The development and brain growth of the child from birth to 18 months old in my opinion has not even developed enough to know such things. Young children have much to accomplish in reaching the baby milestones let alone saying they are transgender at 18 months old.

Many years ago I Lived overseas with military and I used to child mind a little boy who loved to dress like a fairy and carry a doll. All other kids didn’t bat an eye lid. I lost touch when I moved back to Britain. His mum found me online because he was getting married and wanted me there. His wife is lovely. My point is he out grew it didn’t have transgender in them days. So I would let a child dress in what they want without given it a name. Kids like to dress up.

I can remember when I was young (and I think now still) little girls who wanted to play with boys toys and climb trees etc were called 'tomboys' and boys who wanted to play with dolls were called 'nancies' - very derogatory terms!! Children should be left to develop to be who they want to be whether that be transgender/straight/gay etc etc and be accepted by their families and society, although I think this may be asking too much in the very judgmental world that we live in.

GrannyGravy13

Our two year old GC is adamant they are four.

Lovely!

That is why I am talking about trans-gender. Not physical intersex.

People who are intersex, having variations in sexual development, are a minute proportion of the population.

Their situation is nothing to do with being transgender.

Gosh can’t we/they just love their children and allow them to be children first of all.
Why have they got to be anything other than that yet. Years of development ahead and all around already judgement and naysayers. Seems like another wave of mental health issues coming up rather than well balanced individuals, who can be women, men or whatever they deem is necessary to their happiness in life without causing harm to others.

We all remember “tomboys” when we were young, I was one of them, identified more with boys toys than girlie things, it was trains, aeroplanes and cars for me, in fact it still is. At around 10 yrs my interests changed to animals, horses and dogs in particular and my caring side developed.
My point is parents really should not put labels on children because you never know how the child will develop, transgender in childhood is going to make them a target for the worst kind of bullying for certain. By all means let them dress in boys style and have boys interests if that makes them happy, but don’t don’t make out they are “different”.

How could we forget Schofield's family changes Ro60 he drivelled on about it to the whole nation.

What absolutely dreadful parents to present their child on a public program. That is child abuse in my book.

Another facet of this topic:
As we gain more scientific knowledge it is now noted that these anomalies can occur before the baby is born due to raised testosterone from the mother.
Certain medical conditions & the life of the mother can produce more testosterone in the mother creating a change in the presumed normal levels.

Hard though it may be for some, I think we need to get used to these biological facts which imo, boils down to respecting all human beings as individuals, however hard this may be for some people & religions.

I agree it shouldn't be sensationalized, but we should stay informed.
Where as I agree it's not entertainment, GM & GN are both places to open people's minds to what will be an ever increasing occurrence (imo).
I felt HW & PS handled the topic sensitively & appropriately, leaving out their personal opinions - remember PS's recent family changes.
After all, in the entertainment industry trans-gender has been accepted for years.
Having said this, I agree Sparkling Who knows as the years go by what the child will feel? Or what treatments will be deemed acceptable?
Already, for some conditions hormones are given to children. (Turner syndrome is one).

Ruth Lawrence came through the other side but she did have a long period when she had a lot of problems.

With Galaxy I meant.

I agree too.

3nanny6,
but it is all completely ok, isn't it, ? your GS wearing a dress and pink hat and liking a doll of a princess.
why do you feel the need to tell him to wear other clothes, or suggest that he should do so because he is a boy.
neither do i think it means he will be gay.
that is another box of assumptions.
i think it is good that nowadays, adults and children can wear pretty much what they like.