Gender Identity

One of the most controversial topics that we have covered this semester in Human Sexualities Across Cultures is that of gender identity and transgender issues.  During childhood, a child may suffer from gender identity disorder, which typically includes expressing the desire to belong to the opposite gender than what they were born biologically. Culturally, gender identity issues may lead to lifelong suffering for these children. Guidelines, recommendations, and laws for individuals wanting to change genders physically and mentally are different in various countries and are partially culturally driven.

Consider the following video:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/born-this-way-stories-of-young-transgender-children/

Is gender identity determined by nature (biological) or nurture (cultural/environmental)?

In the video, the young teens identified with being the opposite gender, sometimes at a very young age. What is the driving force identifying as the opposite gender?  

Gender Identity Disorder (GID) is recognized by the American Psychiatric Association and can be manifested during either childhood or adulthood. Gender identity is defined as “a strong and persistent cross-gender identification (not merely a desire for any perceived cultural advantages of being the other sex” (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000, p. 259). Those individuals with GID “have no proven genetic, anatomic, or hormonal abnormalities, but present with psychological symptoms, including anxiety, depression, or suicidal ideation” (Stark et al., 2012, p. 419).

Biologically, individuals are born as either male or female. Cultures determine what are appropriate, or stereotypical, masculine and feminine roles within the culture. Because of established cultural roles assigned to males and females, young children, teens and adults with GID may suffer emotional or mental distress. According to a study recently published in Pediatrics, teens with GID often suffer feelings of significant distress, which may lead to diagnosis of other mental disorders. Young children can also exhibit feelings of distress, however, mental suffering increases after the onset of puberty for many of these individuals.

Recent guidelines published in 2009 by the Endocrine Society outline treatment for children diagnosed with GID include medical suppression of puberty through the use of “reversible gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogs at Tanner stage 2/3 for adolescents” (Stark et al., 2012, p. 419). Treating children with hormones to suppress puberty allows for some reduction in the physical appearance of being male or female. For example, suppressing puberty in females should lead to less breast development or skeletal changes. By suppressing the physical characteristics associated with puberty, these individuals may not suffer as much stigmatization from society.

Consider in the United States and Europe, we often read about gender neutral clothing, toys, and parenting in an attempt to raise children without the constraints of cultural male or female stereotyping. One of the benefits associated with gender-neutral parenting is allowing children to be raised without being limited by gender roles (DiProperzo, 2013). For example, boys can also play with dolls while girls can play with trucks.

Which is better? Should gender play a role in how a child is raised? Could adopting a gender-neutral culture eliminate GID?

References:

American Psychiatric Association (APA). (2000). Diagnostic criteria from DSM-IV-TR. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association.

DiProperzio, L. (2013). Should you raise a gender-neutral baby? Retrieved from http://www.parents.com/parenting/gender-neutral-parenting/

Spack, N. P., Edwards-Leeper, L., Feldman, H. A., Leibowitz, S., Mandel, F., Diamond, D. A., & Vance, S. R. (2012). Children and adolescents with gender identity disorder referred to a pediatric medical center. Pediatrics, 129(3), 418-425. doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-0907