Gender Identity Disorder is becoming increasingly talked about over the last decade, and more research is being done to better understand the disorder. Gender Identity Disorder is when a persons biological sex conflicts with the gender they chose to identify and live as. Last semester I was in a trans and gender queer class, and I had the opportunity to see many videos and interviews on individuals with gender identity disorder, as well as meet a few in person.
One video in particular that really stuck out in my mind was an interview done on a little girl named Jazz. Jazz was born a boy, but at the age of 2 knew that she was meant to be a girl. Jazz’s story was a happy one. She knew at a very young age that she was born in the wrong body, so she grew up living as a girl. In the video, it is said by experts that the younger a child is when transitioning, the easier it is for them. Jazz only spent 2 years living as a boy, so her transition was much easier than some. Since she wasn’t forced to deal with changing at a later age, it was easier to forget about her past living as a boy. Her parents and family were also extremely understanding and always made her feel comfortable with her choice to be a girl. They allowed her to wear dresses, grow out her hair, play with girl toys, and everything else little girls like to do.
Since seeing the interview with Jazz, she has stuck in my mind. I could not believe first off how mature and determined she was. She wasn’t worried about what other people thought, and just wanted to do what she knew would make her happy. I also loved how amazing her parents were with the whole situation. Many parents of children with Gender Identity Disorder question them, and often try and change their minds to make them “normal.” This was not the case with the parents of Jazz. All they wanted was for Jazz to be happy, and they never pushed her to be something she wasn’t. I respect her parents and give them so much credit for that.
The first video I watched of Jazz, she was only 7 years old. The interviewer asked her what it meant to be transgender. She responded that she was born with a boy’s body and a girl’s brain. I found it so fascinating listening to her speak, because she seemed so mature for her age. I also couldn’t believe how positive she was. For the most part it seemed as all of Jazz’s friends and family were very accepting of her choice and embraced it. I definitely think that this had a huge impact on Jazz and making her transition much easier.
Watching this made me wish that was the case for all individuals dealing with Gender Identity Disorder. So many people are disowned by family and friends after announcing they would like to change their gender. Also, many people don’t realize until later in life, or simply pretend to be something they are not. As we begin to understand more about this disorder and continue educating others, the better it will be. People need to understand that this is not a choice, and imagine what it would be like living as something you are not everyday of your life.
Here's the link to the video of Jazz that I was talking about. This is only the first part of five, but if you are interested in watching them all they should pop up after each section ends.
One video in particular that really stuck out in my mind was an interview done on a little girl named Jazz. Jazz was born a boy, but at the age of 2 knew that she was meant to be a girl. Jazz’s story was a happy one. She knew at a very young age that she was born in the wrong body, so she grew up living as a girl. In the video, it is said by experts that the younger a child is when transitioning, the easier it is for them. Jazz only spent 2 years living as a boy, so her transition was much easier than some. Since she wasn’t forced to deal with changing at a later age, it was easier to forget about her past living as a boy. Her parents and family were also extremely understanding and always made her feel comfortable with her choice to be a girl. They allowed her to wear dresses, grow out her hair, play with girl toys, and everything else little girls like to do.
Since seeing the interview with Jazz, she has stuck in my mind. I could not believe first off how mature and determined she was. She wasn’t worried about what other people thought, and just wanted to do what she knew would make her happy. I also loved how amazing her parents were with the whole situation. Many parents of children with Gender Identity Disorder question them, and often try and change their minds to make them “normal.” This was not the case with the parents of Jazz. All they wanted was for Jazz to be happy, and they never pushed her to be something she wasn’t. I respect her parents and give them so much credit for that.
The first video I watched of Jazz, she was only 7 years old. The interviewer asked her what it meant to be transgender. She responded that she was born with a boy’s body and a girl’s brain. I found it so fascinating listening to her speak, because she seemed so mature for her age. I also couldn’t believe how positive she was. For the most part it seemed as all of Jazz’s friends and family were very accepting of her choice and embraced it. I definitely think that this had a huge impact on Jazz and making her transition much easier.
Watching this made me wish that was the case for all individuals dealing with Gender Identity Disorder. So many people are disowned by family and friends after announcing they would like to change their gender. Also, many people don’t realize until later in life, or simply pretend to be something they are not. As we begin to understand more about this disorder and continue educating others, the better it will be. People need to understand that this is not a choice, and imagine what it would be like living as something you are not everyday of your life.
Here's the link to the video of Jazz that I was talking about. This is only the first part of five, but if you are interested in watching them all they should pop up after each section ends.
No comments:
Post a Comment