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Topic : 10/29 Gender Confused Children

Number of Replies: 1316
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Created on : Friday, October 24, 2008, 02:51:47 pm
Author : DrPhilBoard1
Dr. Phil tackles the sensitive topic of children who identify more with the opposite sex. What do you do if your son wants to wear dresses and play with dolls? Or if your daughter tells you she wants to be a boy? Should parents chock it up to being a phase that their children will grow out of, or should they intervene right away? Meet Melissa and Tim, whose 8-year-old son declared himself to be a girl when he was just 3 years old. Now, they allow their child to live as a girl and wonder if and when they should begin hormone therapy. Then, when Mary’s son was 8, he told her he felt like a girl, and Mary allowed him to experiment with dressing as a female. Now a teenager, her son is more comfortable living as a male -- but Mary wonders if she caused his confusion. Joining the discussion are experts with differing points of view: Dr. Dan Siegel, professor and clinical psychiatrist at UCLA School of Medicine, and Glenn Stanton, author and research fellow with the organization Focus on the Family. Is gender identity something we’re born with, or is it influenced by parents and environment? Don’t miss this heated discussion, then talk about the show here..

Find out what happened on the show.

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October 29, 2008, 2:32 pm PDT

One last thing...

Let's forget the idea of religion and God for a moment. Both the doctor and the other expert on the show both are just giving their best guess as to why some children go through gender confusion. There is no hard DNA fact to support either of them. Yes...there have been studies of people and their lives, but they have not been able to nail it down to anything. For the DR to say that biologically all people fall on a "scale" of gender, not matter what they outward parts are, is COMPLETELY his opinion and his ideas...Not FACT.
 
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October 29, 2008, 2:32 pm PDT

10/29 Gender Confused Children

Quote From: dolphnluvr21

Wanting to give hormones to an 8 yr old BOY, that until he gets his first erection, ( I'm Sorry) thinks he wants to be a girl???This is an 8 yr old CHILD...I am overwhelmed at that mother, SHE wants a daughter, you can hear in the childs mouth that he/she was coached as in what to say!!!
I agree with you 100%

Since when does a child knows what they WANT.   

Since when do adults know what they WANT?  Get me?    This is an issue on what we NEED rather then want.   This child needs to realize it's okay to be curious about the opposite sex, but to actually morph into that gender?  THEN THE MOTHER AGREES?!  

Yes, I think she just wants a daughter apparently.   I would be completely and utterly disturbed as a Mother if my son wanted to become a girl.  My foot would come down VERY firmly on the matter.
 
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October 29, 2008, 2:33 pm PDT

Why so negative?

My ex husband is transgender. He came out and said he felt like a woman when I was five months preg with our daughter.  I know it can be hard and confusing.. Believe me there are times I want to smack him uplike the head and say "YOUR A BOY!!!!"  But you cant..

 

Really it's all about individuality... What you feel and know is right..... God does not make mistakes... This is true.. and on that same note... Because God doesnt make mistakes... What we feel and what we know we are are completely normal.. because GOD MADE US in his image.  If an 8 year old boy looks in the mirror and sees Diana instead of Dan..... God made him/her that way...... Why?? I dont know.. I'm not God... I would never presume to think that I know what is in Gods mind..... But weither you are Transgender, or gay... or a crossdresser or straight or whatever you are... GOD made you like that... and you should hold your head up and be PROUD of who you are!!!

 

On another note.... do I think it's appropriate for said 8 year old to be on hormones?? No....  I think it would be best to wait until that child is of legal age..... But both that child and the parents should understand the steps needed to be taken.. and also understand and make the schools and community aware of things.... if Dave wants to be Diana..... and is LIVING as Diana... then he should be Diana at schools as well.....

 

That's my two cents.

 
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October 29, 2008, 2:33 pm PDT

Thank you

Thank you Dr. Phil for having  a "Focus on the Family" representative on you show today, 10/29.  They spoke the truth.  People like to go back and forth and argue and argue this point, but they do that because

they can't accept the truth. 

 

We live in an evil world.  And believe me, it is only going to get worse. 

 
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October 29, 2008, 2:34 pm PDT

Biology is not perfect

 

First, let me say that I am totally against hormone treatment for children.  Any permanent changes should be illegal until the child is an adult.  This includes hormone therapy.  If the child is truely serious about changing their physical gender identity, then when they reach puberty, they will just have to wait a little longer than most to indulge in those physical desires. 

 

Having said that, it is offensive to say that GOD has some part of this.  Our world and nature, we humans included, are not perfect.  In utero defects happen.  I don't believe GOD wants children born without arms, legs, brains, or any other defect.  If you believe GOD has something to do with every childs birth, then you MUST believe GOD also wanted children born with birth defects. What kind of GOD to you people believe in?  How cruel.  I do think this is grounded in the physical development and not social influences.  Information is the key.  And loving support.

 
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October 29, 2008, 2:34 pm PDT

10/29 Gender Confused Children

Quote From: odonlin

I am amazed at how many people who claim to "know it all" either because God told them...or they read some abstract internet article!  I thought in this day, people would be more intellectually progressive to actually take a moment to understand somebodies thoughts...other than throw the bible at them and call it a day!  And by the way....FACT  all fetus' initially have female brains..until testosterone appears in gestation and changes the physiology of the brain to what science considers "male".  go to your local biology professor/ doctor to confirm....so it's not a fetch that more or less testosterone could net a different developmental result.

And by the way - I'm Christian too - but I'm not an idiot!

Explains the male nipple eh...
 
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October 29, 2008, 2:36 pm PDT

10/29 Gender Confused Children

Quote From: tru2no1

The parents of these children appear to be more confused then the children. I agree with the couple in the audience, the parents make the decisions, not the children. When they become adults, they may choose for themselves then.
I definitely agree with you.

The parents needs to make the decision on matters in your children's lives.   Especially one as HUGE as this one.  

I admit.   If my son wanted to be a woman when he entered his adult years that's his problem.   Doesn't mean I will agree with him or be happy, but I'd support him. 
 
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October 29, 2008, 2:36 pm PDT

I am Transgender-Hormones

When we know better We Do Better just a little history at age 5 i knew something was different about me ,had male and female role models ,came from Italian family they drank a little too much wine,i was born with female organs , my brain was wired -i thought like a man,thought i was a lesbian and lived  as a lesbian,i allowed many people m/f to abuse my body i hated myself suicide thoughts constantly at age 33 i questioned my thoughts do i have a child or have a sex change? did neither.now at 47 came to terms with my GID and have a peaceful life i always wanted to dress in mens suits and today i do. i have been jac' for 3 yrs now i have done much research on the subject i choose to monitor my diet and to not eat meat/pork/chickens because the farmers inject female hormones in these animals and the last thing i want is more female hormones in my system by ommitting these foods my emotional mood swings have disappeared ,i have become best friends with  my suicidial thoughts, they do not control me anymore i have found a website that sells  humanlike penis that has a tube running through it so one can stand up to urinate , i lack facial hair only, since not eating food injected with female Hormones my body has changed, more husky and my feet grew a bit larger i would not change a thing in my journey to my authentic self i have lived as a woman ,a lesbian, and now a very peaceful heterosexual man at 53.my dream is to have a wife and raise a family it's never to late to live your dreams. TRUTH is the final lesson in life i am an advocate for SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN ranging from autism to gender idenity to rare cancers and it is my passion to educate and support our younger generations . i wish that the whole truth should of been spoken in the case of Brian Reimer on how the dr. burned his penis during circumcision and then they decided to remove the rest of his organs and turn him into a girl dr. phil if you are to do a show give the people the whole truth in the case of Brian Reimer ,doctors need to stop playing GOD. back in the 40's/50's shock treatment was suppose to cure GID they thought but only turned their brains to mush I AM SO GRATEFUL I RESEARCH ALL I CAN AND NOT LET ANY DOCTORS OR CHURCH GOERS DICTATE MY LIFE AND MY JOURNEY we are all unique and special and there are no two people alike in closing peace to all and do not judge lest you have walked in their shoes.

jac'

 
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October 29, 2008, 2:36 pm PDT

10/29 Gender Confused Children

Is there anyone that has a problem with this subject other then what they think god thinks?
 
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October 29, 2008, 2:36 pm PDT

I completely agree

Quote From: dolphnluvr21

Wanting to give hormones to an 8 yr old BOY, that until he gets his first erection, ( I'm Sorry) thinks he wants to be a girl???This is an 8 yr old CHILD...I am overwhelmed at that mother, SHE wants a daughter, you can hear in the childs mouth that he/she was coached as in what to say!!!
I completely agree, how could mother agree to do this to her child. It makes me angry to know that this mother has the right  to do this to her son, what happens ten years down the road and this boy turns 18 and he completely regrets ever haveing done this, you know he will hate his mother. I think she should get some counseling and let the child grow up and make the decision for himself as an adult at least then you don't take the chance in ruining your childs life and your relationship with him.
 
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