Essay on equality for LGBTQ community

Since LGBTQ individuals are becoming a more vocal minority and are demanding equal treatment in all facets of life, the United States has made remarkable strides in the direction of equality for the LGBTQ population in recent years. Jazz underwent a gender transition after being diagnosed with gender dysphoria at the age of five.
Jazz's parents gave her permission to openly identify as a transgender girl when she was 5 years old. I believe Jazz's parents permitted her to identify as a transgender female at such an early age so she wouldn't struggle with her self-worth in the future. As can be seen in the video, Jazz is very confident, and this is one thing I admire about her. Although she knows she is a transgender girl, she does not care about what other people think about her. The parent knew that if Jazz knows that she is a girl at such a young age, then she will identify as a girl and will be happy. According to health24 (2016), when young transgender kids are allowed to openly live as the gender they identify with, then they will live well psychologically just like other normal children. When asked by the interviewer whether she is a girl or a boy Jazz confidently states that she is a girl.

If my child displayed gender non-conformity, I would allow him/her to openly identify as transgender. Allowing the child to explore his/her gender at a young age gives the parents much more time to know that the child’s gender is the right one before they can deal with other things such as legally changing the names (Mallon & DeCrescenzo, 2006). Moreover, allowing the child to openly live as the gender they identify with makes him/her live a happier life. Research in the US shows that transgender kids whose parents put so much pressure on them to conform have higher drug abuse and suicide rates as compared to children with supportive parents (Olson et al., 2016).





References

ABC News (2013, Jan 19). Transgender at 11: Listening to Jazz Jennings | 20/20 | ABC News [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJw3s85EcxM

Health24 (2016). Why you should let your transgender child live openly. Retrieved from http://www.health24.com/Parenting/Child/Body/why-you-should-let-your-transgender-child-live-openly-20160229

Mallon, G. P., & DeCrescenzo, T. (2006). Transgender children and youth: A child welfare practice perspective. Child welfare, 85(2), 215.

Olson, K. R., Durwood, L., DeMeules, M., & McLaughlin, K. A. (2016). Mental health of transgender children who are supported in their identities. Pediatrics, peds-2015.