While most have long been familiar with the L, G, and B of LGBT, many still don’t know much about the T: transgender. Individuals who are transgender are not comfortable with the gender they were assigned at birth and come to identify as another. We look at the youngest making this transition: kids under eighteen, and the challenges that they face.
Guests:
- Jennifer Bois - counselor and gender specialist in Nashua. She specializes in working with transgender individuals and those struggling with any other gender identity concerns, and facilitates several support groups for transgender people and their families.
- Sarah - a fourteen year old girl who is transgender. She is living in New Hampshire.
- Tom - father of Sarah, a fourteen year old transgender girl.
Callout:
- Dr. Jerrold Olshan - pediatric endocrinologist and the medical director of the Gender Clinic at the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine.
Read more:
- Transgender Live in the Granite State- stories from We Are New Hampshire from GLAD, the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders
- Maine Medical Center has opened a new Gender Clinic at the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital
- NPR report on the increase in transgender and gender-variant students
- New Hampshire did poorlyon a ranking of transgender rights by state
- An articleabout a transgender girl in New York and her family. It looks at medical treatment options for transgender youth.
- A reportabout the health impacts of parental support for transgender youth. It shows dramatically decreased outcomes for depression, mental health, suicide considerations and attempts, and overall health for transgender youth with non-supportive parents.Here's an article about the report.
Resources:
- Transgender - New Hampshire, which supports and builds community between transgender and other gender non-conforming people in New Hampshire.
- Trans Youth Equality Forum, which shares information about the unique needs of this community, and partners with families, educators and service providers to help foster a healthy, caring, and safe environment for all transgender children.
- Camp Arunu'tiq, which is a non-profit program serving transgender and gender-variant youth and their families. Their flagship program is a two-week overnight camp for ages 8-15.
- PFLAGis an organization for parents, families, friends, and allies united with people who are LGBT. They run four support groups in N.H.
- Transgender Students' Rights in New Hampshire
