Transgender policy to be tested (school labels 5yr-old "gender confused" -will be raised as a girl)

Miami Herald ^ | Thu, Jul. 13, 2006 | ROBERTO SANTIAGO

[presidio9]

Few will know this genetic truth, because the 5-year-old's parents and school administrators have agreed that it's in his best interest to blend in as a female.

Mental health professionals have diagnosed Pat - not his real name - with gender dysphoria, a condition in which a person believes that he or she is the opposite gender. After two years of examination, they have determined that he is not simply effeminate or going through a phase.

"Gender dysphoria can take place during a fetus' development in the womb," said noted gender specialist and sexologist Marilyn Volker, Ph.D., of Miami.

While this tyke is likely the youngest transgendered child admitted to a South Florida school, he is not unique. Both the Broward and Miami-Dade County school systems have policies in place to smooth the way for such students and their families.

Equality Florida, which advocates for Florida's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, and PFLAG - Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays - say the two school districts have the most progressive policies in the state.

Broward and Miami-Dade are among the most exemplary school districts "when it comes to the rights of transgendered people," said Tobias Packer, South Florida Field Organizer for Equality Florida, who himself is transgendered.

Student victims

Carole Benowitz, Florida state coordinator for PFLAG, agrees. Her adult son is gay.

Benowitz said that two years ago - at a Broward high school she declined to name - she was called in after a group of boys beat up another student, whom they believed to be an effeminate boy. In fact, the victim was transgendered - a biological female who looked, dressed and behaved like a male. Benowitz was brought in to counsel the administrators, the students and the victim.

"People have an understanding

[thehumanlynx]

If your assertion were true there would be millions of bi-sexuals. I don't believe there are.

I don't follow, but thats fine cuz I don't follow most of your "its so obvious" arguments... especially considering that it is so obvious that no single experiment has been replacated to prove your "obvious" argument.

[BlackVeil]

I also have friends who were labeled "sissys" and "momma's boys" growing up. All are heterosexual.

Me too. One boy at our school used to hang out with girls all the time, joined all the Catholic rosary groups (that was technically allowed for boys - except none but he ever did), and also took sewing and needlework as his "electives."

I do not know how he dared. You cannot imagine the pressure to conform in an Australian rural primary school.

However, he had character. When he was doing sewing or knitting, it didn't look feminine at all, as he glared at the needles with fierce determination. He just shut out a lot of things - wouldn't reply to people unless he felt like it.

I suppose now he would be sent for some futile counselling and observations sessions - where, incidently, they wouldn't let him withdraw into himself and would badger him to death about gender issues. At school, our teachers just let him go his own way.

The last I heard, he was doing very well, and had a high position in a British museum. He became an expert on textiles.

[thehumanlynx]

replicated, my bad

[Middle of the Road]

Are you gay? Maybe you should get "checked" because you may have a couple wires crossed

sounds like you are trying to make yourself feel better because it is NOT YOUR FAULT your gay

[DCPatriot]

Yeah...and maybe you should go back to school and learn how the proper usage of contractions.

GET OFF THE COMPUTER YA BIG DOPE!!!

[Middle of the Road]

Yep that should just about confirm the answer to that question LOL

[Middle of the Road]

God absolutely knows best BUT if God has revealed that homosexuality is a SIN and has destroyed entire civizations (aka Sodom and Gomorrah)because of it then why would He make it genetic?

We live in a world where NO ONE likes to take accountability anymore we just blame it on the other guy/ parents/ environment/ and now GENETICS

[DBeers]

I don't know what to call you folks....your little club that finds homosexuals classified as premeditated perverts...that it's a state of mind they could easily forego.

Call me a rational thinker opposed to delusional thinking...

I suggest you clearly delineate the difference between a state of being with an act of doing.

Homosexual activity is always a choice. Further, it is only homosexual activity that can and is legitimately be discriminated against -activity, not people.

It is ONLY by separating the two (innate being versus chosen activity) that one can legitimately discuss the "homosexuality". Just because one may, through no choice of their own, feel like doing something (possess the state of mind to do something) does not mean that whatever they choose to do is acceptable and or always to be tolerated.