The mother of a transgender girl sobbed in federal court Wednesday as she contemplated having to move away from her Navy officer husband to get health care for her 12-year-old if Florida’s ban on gender dysphoria treatments for minors is allowed to take affect.
The woman, who testified as Jane Doe to protect the identity of her child, said her daughter went from being anxious and upset to a thriving, happy straight-A student after being allowed to live as a girl about eight years ago, a decision she made with her husband after multiple visits to their family’s doctor.
But as the girl approaches puberty, she fears she will start turning into a boy. Without treatment, she and her family will be devasted, the mother said.
4-5 is when gender or social identity comes in really strongly and a surprising number of kids show their dysphoria for the first time. Its actually not limited to gender, a lot of a child’s first independent personality really begins to shine through at that age. Kids decide what name they want to be known by, what things they personally like and dislike, favorite color and food. All is subject to growth but this will often be the first set of preferences to set and stay that way for a prolonged time.
I’ve personally seen two kids begin their gender transitioning around 5. Demanding to be called a different name, insisting on a different pronoun, choosing more gendered clothing. Some parents choose to just let the kid do what makes them happy and go with it.