Transgender in early childhood?

[ALLIGAT0R TEARS]

This controversial topic has been bothering me for some time now, and I would enjoy opinions (that can be backed up) from others.

Further explanation:
I would like to assume that everyone knows the main concept of being transgender. It is not rare for a mere child to identify as the opposite gender they were born as. This is all mentality of course, but the strive to change physically is there as well. The questions below do not have to be answered completely, just want them to be taken into consideration as to what to discuss.

What should be done if a child as young as 2 starts showing signs of favoring behaviors of the opposite gender? How to handle the situation when they become more vocal at later ages such as 5+.? Would you consider hormonal medications? Would you let them follow the clothing styles of the opposite gender? Would you take them to a psychiatrist for acceptance of this transgender mentality or to prevent it? Would you consider plastic surgery/reconstructive surgeries for them in their teen years or even helping them further on down the line. Do you actually believe a child can fully decide that they are transgender?

Be sure to explain your statements. smile  

[Hester Peche]

If I had a child that identified as the opposite gender, I would do everything in my power to encourage it and make sure he/she feels comfortable in their own skin.

Even if that means wearing clothing styles of the opposite gender, and gender-reassignment surgeries when they get older. To me, I feel that there is no point in hindering such behaviour. A person's identity is their own, and it's not up to me to decide what it should be.
And stifling that sort of self-expression at such a young age could cause mental and emotional problems later down the line. Considering Erikson, identified that emotional development starts as early as the first year. Things such as shame and doubt begin to develop as early as two, so by telling your child "no your a boy, act like one"...would cause issue and they could end up with some sort of guilt complex...(I had to look it up in my ECE book...-_-')

If I was a mother, I would always want my child to feel comfortable in their own skin and have a strong sense of self--whatever it may be.  

[Matron Mord Sith]

If my kid wants to be the opposite gender at a young age, I'd support it 100% I'd hold off on the hormone treatment until he/she was older though. I want them to be a 100% sure about their choice. I'll always have my children's back.  

[Kaiyle Brightblade]

I don't think they understand all the concepts until puberty. Heck I wanted to be a boy when I was a kid, but when I hit puberty and I realized that I was interested in boys, I felt more comfortable as a girl.

I'd let them cross dress but wait until much later for more irreversible decisions.  

[ALLIGAT0R TEARS]

For those that say you would hold of on the hormonal treatment and surgeries, what age would that be?  

[Matron Mord Sith]

AmberElric

For those that say you would hold of on the hormonal treatment and surgeries, what age would that be?

I'd wait til he/she was 17-18. I really want them to be 100% sure about their choice. It would be heart breaking as a mother to see my kid living in misery after making a choice that they couldn't go back on.  

[Lady Kira X]

Matron Mord Sith

AmberElric

For those that say you would hold of on the hormonal treatment and surgeries, what age would that be?

I'd wait til he/she was 17-18. I really want them to be 100% sure about their choice. It would be heart breaking as a mother to see my kid living in misery after making a choice that they couldn't go back on.

Also they will be a legal adult, so they can make the decisions for themselves.  

[ALLIGAT0R TEARS]

Matron Mord Sith

AmberElric

For those that say you would hold of on the hormonal treatment and surgeries, what age would that be?

I'd wait til he/she was 17-18. I really want them to be 100% sure about their choice. It would be heart breaking as a mother to see my kid living in misery after making a choice that they couldn't go back on.

Yes. I believe that surgeries should hold off until 18. Although the hormone stalling medications would have to be taken early on, because when they hit puberty they will be gaing all the changes that would make them more like the gender they were born as.  

[Fatgirl and Robin]

Ehh, I don't feel a child is mentally mature enough to decide they want to be a boy/girl. I would let them dress and act how they wanted (hell, I acted/dressed like a boy until this year!), but I doubt I would take them seriously until they were 14-15. And even then, I'd wait until they were older to do anything life changing.
But I would be behind them the whole way.  

[Angel Nicholson]

My mother always told me love was a bullshit emotion that only fools and dreamers believed in...


At an early age, they could just be imitating the behaviours of one parent. I mean, my little brother likes to wear make-up but only because he sees our mom doing it and our other one likes to brush his hair for hours, but only because my sister and I have really long hair and he sees us brushing ours.
You can't encourage or discourage the behaviour until you know why they're doing it.
If they're doing it because they see their mother or father doing it, try and discourage it (like you really want your son to be trying to put on lipstick everyday) until you know if they're doing it simply because they see it, because they truly and honestly want to be the other gender, or just because they just plain don't know what is expected of boys and girls. Like my brother wearing make-up. He doesn't know it's not a very manly thing to do.
If they're a boy and trying to act like a girl, they could be doing it because they believe it's the norm.
Then they get into school and whatnot, they could realize that some of the things they're doing isn't what a boy would normally do, so the child would feel singled out.
As much as it's wrong to push on the gender stereotypes, you have to make sure your child knows what's expected of their genders.
Otherwise, you could end up with a very confused 6 year old when you could have avoided it D:


...so she told me to be the fool with a dream...