Gender variant individuals have often lived traumatic lives due to the attitudes and limited understanding of the people in their environment. Gender variant children have been institutionalised, subjected to aversion therapies and pressured to maintain secrecy and conform to society’s gendered expectations while dealing with bullying and harassment at school. Simultaneously their parents face societal bias and assumptions that allow their children to be marginalized. Understanding the needs of gender variant children and their parents is a necessary step towards the provision of suitable training and interventions for the support of gender variant children into adulthood.
A qualitative study using the internet was designed to survey the experiences of parents with gender variant children, transgender adults’ perceptions of their childhoods, and professionals understanding of the needs of gender variant children and their parents. Open-ended questions focussing on their experiences, issues and needs allowed participants to expand on their feelings, knowledge and opinions in a variety of settings. Responses were analysed through content and thematic coding to identify the needs of both parents and children.
Professionals who work with the transgender community also have a unique perspective to aid in the understanding of issues and needs of gender variant children and their parents through years of experience with a variety of transgender clients. This investigation aims to identify the needs of gender variant children and their parents.
The primary needs for gender variant children were for acceptance recognition, freedom of expression and validation of their feelings. The dominant parents’ needs were related to information and professional guidelines followed by professional support, parenting strategies and peer support.