Childhood Gender Identity Disorder
Childhood Gender Identity Disorder
Davonport University
English 109
Childhood Gender Identity Disorder When making decisions about the lives of children who do not adhere to their gender norms it is important to be well informed and aware of what they are going through. According to Stryker (2008), gender identity relates to a person’s sense of comfort or discomfort with their biological gender while a gender role is a public display. Gender role non-conformity is not the same as gender dysphonia. A gender role nonconforming “sissy” boy who still considers himself a boy is different from a boy who wishes he were a girl (Ehrbar, 2008). Society has many “slang” terms for gender identity issues and that is one of the problems with why it is frequently over looked and misunderstood. An understanding of gender identity and the developmental and societal influences that are associated with it is extremely important in determining diagnosis and treatment or counseling of the individual (Dragowski, Rio, & Sandigorsky, 2011). While each individual develops in their own way, there are current findings that outside influence may disrupt the development of an individual’s gender identity. Society sees boys as stronger while girls are considered finer featured and delicate. Children especially when engaged in behavior similar to gender stereotypes, parents encourage traditional gender behaviors that are reinforced with praise. Unacceptable gender behaviors are categorized in a negative fashion. An idea recently being considered that many say aspects of the human experience are involved in the development of gender identity (Diamond, 2006). Current psychological theories propose that a child’s temperament and problematic family environment can be held accountable for childhood gender nonconformity (Dragowski, Rio, & Sandigorsky, 2006). With the pressures individuals receive not only from home but from their
Davonport University
English 109
Childhood Gender Identity Disorder When making decisions about the lives of children who do not adhere to their gender norms it is important to be well informed and aware of what they are going through. According to Stryker (2008), gender identity relates to a person’s sense of comfort or discomfort with their biological gender while a gender role is a public display. Gender role non-conformity is not the same as gender dysphonia. A gender role nonconforming “sissy” boy who still considers himself a boy is different from a boy who wishes he were a girl (Ehrbar, 2008). Society has many “slang” terms for gender identity issues and that is one of the problems with why it is frequently over looked and misunderstood. An understanding of gender identity and the developmental and societal influences that are associated with it is extremely important in determining diagnosis and treatment or counseling of the individual (Dragowski, Rio, & Sandigorsky, 2011). While each individual develops in their own way, there are current findings that outside influence may disrupt the development of an individual’s gender identity. Society sees boys as stronger while girls are considered finer featured and delicate. Children especially when engaged in behavior similar to gender stereotypes, parents encourage traditional gender behaviors that are reinforced with praise. Unacceptable gender behaviors are categorized in a negative fashion. An idea recently being considered that many say aspects of the human experience are involved in the development of gender identity (Diamond, 2006). Current psychological theories propose that a child’s temperament and problematic family environment can be held accountable for childhood gender nonconformity (Dragowski, Rio, & Sandigorsky, 2006). With the pressures individuals receive not only from home but from their
References: Diamond, M. (2002). Sex and gender are different: Sexual identity and gender identity are different Dillworth, M.S. (2000). The Treatment of Childhood Gender Identity Disorder. NARTH Conferences Papers. Retrieved from http://www.narth.com/docs/treatment.pdf Dragowski, E