Gender diversity and non-binary presentations in young people attending the United Kingdom’s National Gender Identity Development Service

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jos Twist ◽  
Nastasja M de Graaf
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
The Body ◽  
Intrinsic Factors ◽  
Gender Expression ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Development Service ◽  
Binary Gender

There has been a recent rise in the number of people who hold a non-binary gender identity. However, the proportion of young people attending gender services who identify as non-binary has not yet been investigated. This article presents the findings from a pilot study of newly designed questionnaire, the Gender Diversity Questionnaire, which included questions about gender identity and gender expression. Responses from 251 adolescents attending the United Kingdom’s National Gender Identity Development Service between June 2016 and February 2017 are reported here. The majority, 56.9%, of young people identified as trans, 29.3% identified as a binary gender (male or female), 11% identified as non-binary and 1.2% as agender. There were no significant differences in self-defined identities based on assigned gender or age. However, once young people were separated into these groups, some of them were very small; thus, a larger sample is required. In terms of aspects of gender expression that were important to the young people, the data formed five themes – name and pronouns, external appearance, the body, intrinsic factors and ‘other’. Strengths and weaknesses of the research are discussed as well as future work that will be conducted.

Thinking about ethnicity and gender diversity in children and young people

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 291-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nastasja M de Graaf ◽  
Ilham I Manjra ◽  
Anna Hames ◽  
Claudia Zitz
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Ethnicity Data

Background: Little is known about how social and cultural variants interact with gender identity development. This article aims to identify the ethnicities of children and young people referred to the United Kingdom’s national Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS), and compare the ethnicity data with the UK child population and referrals to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). Methods: GIDS referrals made between April 2012 and April 2015 for children and young people were retrieved. Ethnicity data were obtained by the ‘16 + 1’ ethnicity list. Chi-square and t-tests were performed on the demographics. Results: Less than 10% of the 995 referrals at GIDS were from Black and minority ethnic (BME) groups – an underrepresentation as compared with both the national population and CAMHS figures. No significant differences in ethnic representation were found between the demographic birth-assigned sexes, across age groups, or year of referral. Conclusions: Hypotheses proposed for this underrepresentation take into account both the potential barriers to accessing services and the possibility of cross-cultural variations in the conceptualisations of gender, gender roles and gender diversity. Ethnicity, culture and religion, and their overlapping relationship with gender need further exploration.

scholarly journals Gender Dysphoria in looked-after and adopted young people in a gender identity development service

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-128
Author(s):  
Tom Matthews ◽  
Victoria Holt ◽  
Senem Sahin ◽  
Amelia Taylor ◽  
David Griksaitis
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Gender Dysphoria ◽  
Case File ◽  
Clinical Notes ◽  
Birth Family ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Overall Functioning ◽  
Development Service

This research investigated the prevalence of looked-after and adopted young people within a case file review of 185 young people referred to a UK gender identity development service over a 2-year period (1 April 2009 to 1 April 2011). Data were extracted from referral letters, clinical notes and clinician letters. Looked-after young people were found to represent 4.9% of referrals in this cohort, which is significantly higher than within the English general population (0.58%). Adopted young people represented 3.8% of referrals. In addition, the findings showed that looked-after young people were less likely to receive a diagnosis of gender dysphoria compared with young people living within their birth family. There were no statistically significant differences in the gender ratio or age of first gender dysphoric experience between groups. Looked-after and adopted young people were also not found to be experiencing greater impairment in overall functioning compared to other young people referred to the gender identity development service. In conclusion, there are a substantial proportion of referrals pertaining to looked-after or adopted young people, and it appears the referral route and process through the service may be distinct, particularly for looked-after young people. This may be understood by considering the possible complexities in the presentation of these groups, alongside the established higher levels of complexity generally for those experiencing feelings of gender dysphoria.

Co-ordinating meaning within a gender identity development service: What can the theory of the co-ordinated management of meaning offer clinicians working with young people, and their families, exploring their gender identities

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 322-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley Miller ◽  
Sarah Davidson
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Prior Experience ◽  
Language Family ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Therapeutic Rapport ◽  
Management Of Meaning ◽  
The Many ◽  
Development Service

Working with young people who present with diverse gender identifications and their families requires consideration and acknowledgement of a range of contexts (including relationship, family, social and cultural) as well as the influences of prior experience and language. Family members often present with diverse understandings and hopes from their referral to the Gender Identity Development Service and look to us to meet these. This article considers the contribution of Cronen and Pearce who introduced the theory of the co-ordinated management of meaning (CMM). We focus on their ideas about communication, the complexities of communication, meaning, context and multiple perspectives. This article relates to our practice as well as considers useful ways to work with families and young people, within a highly contested field. Clinical examples are used to illustrate how we have made use of the theory and models of CMM to facilitate engagement, build therapeutic rapport, facilitate understanding and support those we see in a way which takes into account the many contexts of their lives.

Welcoming gender diversity in the early years: Interpreting professional guiding documents for gender-expansive practice

2020 ◽  
pp. 146394912097852
Author(s):  
Kristy Timmons ◽  
Lee Airton
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Human Rights Protection ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Gender Expression ◽  
And Gender

This research takes up the challenge of interpreting the two newest grounds of human rights protection across Canada – gender identity and gender expression – for professional practice in early childhood education. To date, no human rights tribunal ruling on these grounds has engaged early childhood education, and while the legal duty remains for early childhood educators to provide an environment free of gender-identity and gender-expression discrimination, the Ontario profession’s governing bodies have provided no explicit guidance as to how. This research bridges early years educators’ new and likely unfamiliar legal responsibilities in relation to both grounds and everyday life in early years contexts. The findings demonstrate that ample support exists within the profession’s key guiding documents for ‘gender-expansive’ practice, or an approach to teaching children and supporting their development that both expects and sustains gender diversity. A similar analysis of guiding documents is needed internationally.

‘Taking the lid off the box’: The value of extended clinical assessment for adolescents presenting with gender identity difficulties

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 338-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Churcher Clarke ◽  
Anastassis Spiliadis
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Young People ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Developmental Pathways ◽  
Western World ◽  
Case Review ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
Case Vignettes ◽  
Development Service

As the number of young people referred to specialist gender identity clinics in the western world increases, there is a need to examine ways of making sense of the range and diversity of their developmental pathways and outcomes. This article presents a joint case review of the authors caseloads over an 18-month period, to identify and describe those young people who presented to the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) with gender dysphoria (GD) emerging in adolescence, and who, during the course of assessment, ceased wishing to pursue medical (hormonal) interventions and/or who arrived at a different understanding of their embodied distress. From the 12 cases identified, 2 case vignettes are presented. Implications for the development of clinical practice, service delivery and research are considered.

scholarly journals ‘You're not sure that you are gay yet’: The perpetuation of the ‘phase’ in the lives of young disabled LGBT + people

Sexualities ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 516-529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Toft ◽  
Anita Franklin ◽  
Emma Langley
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Detailed Analysis ◽  
Social Structures ◽  
Authentic Identity ◽  
Sexuality And Gender ◽  
Nuanced Understanding ◽  
Lgbt People ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Identity Shifts

Contemporary discourse on sexuality presents a picture of fluidity and malleability, with research continuing to frame sexuality as negotiable, within certain parameters and social structures. Such investigation is fraught with difficulties, due in part to the fact that as one explores how identity shifts, language terms such as ‘phase’ emerge conjuring images of a definitive path towards an end-goal, as young people battle through a period of confusion and emerge at their true or authentic identity. Seeing sexuality and gender identity as a phase can delegitimise and prevent access to support, which is not offered due to the misconception that it is not relevant and that one can grow out of being LGBT+. This article explores the lives of disabled LGBT + young people from their perspective, using their experiences and stories to explore their identities and examine how this links to the misconception of their sexuality and gender as a phase. Taking inspiration from the work of scholars exploring sexual and gender identity, and sexual storytelling; the article is framed by intersectionality which allows for a detailed analysis of how identities interact and inform, when used as an analytic tool. The article calls for a more nuanced understanding of sexuality and gender in the lives of disabled LGBT + young people, which will help to reduce inequality and exclusion.

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