My Secret Self: A Story of Transgender Children (20/20 Season) Part 1 of 3

[adrienmcfarland]

Are people jumping on board because an opposition to transgenders has popped up? Or are we seeing CHILDREN making an adult choice? Why is it that so many people can get behind KIDS making, in my opinion an adult choice, but are opposed to another child being punished in an adult manner for an adult crime. Why do we say "there children, they don't know any better" when somthing bad happens, but if no one gets hurt "there just expressing them self."

[VyvienneEaux]

@adrienmcfarland Gender is not a choice. The main choice involved is to allow the child to change his or her physical (maybe not physiological) gender, but these children were born with mismatched minds and bodies. Also, the children can't do anything about their genders unless their parents allow them, so the choice is fully the parents'. The children really don't know better than to behave their mental gender, and the parents can either choose to reject or accept that.

[xanderburke]

gender is not a preference,it just IS



[SpiritofInsanity]

My best friend since birth has just been diagnosed with severe GID. He is nearly an adult now, but watching this reminds me of so many times when, as children, he would behave like and wish to be a girl. This does not go away if the parents ignore it, but instead can cause other severe psychological problems if repressed. My very best friend is suicidal, struggling with sexuality, and now I understand why. Perhaps if he had been allowed to make the transition at such a young age, as these chil

[mahtexas]

There is nothing WRONG with them!!!!!! Stop acting like they were born with two heads!!!

[elchatodeoro1]

The first case.. mother fault absolutly

[Afaye03]

It's amazing how children can be so receptive but not so many adults....

[SophiaAphrodite]

I cannot believe this information was shown so recently. GID is no longer used at all and the term transgendered has now been broadened to cover anyone with an incongruent gender. the fact is it IS a hormone issue. Remember every baby is conceived as a girl and when the Mothers body detects the Y chromosone she tells the baby to start producing testosterone. Sometimes that does not happen early enough and the brain actually stops allowing the production of testosterone in brain development.

[MaxRobertsOfficial]

@dolphanman Nobody chooses to become transgender or gay. I did not choose to be gay, I just am. Did you choose to be straight? Why would you hate having a son who was gay or a transgendered daughter? Why would that be so wrong? Would they be hurting anybody? As long as my child was a happy, healthy, productive member of society, I personally would not care if they were gay, straight, bisexual, lesbian, transgendered or whatever.

[dolphanman7]

Why do boys always become transgender and gay. I am a Straight Male

I hate to have a son do this

[SophiaAphrodite]

@dolphanman7 They are not the same at all. One is sexual preference and the other is gender preference. The simplest way to explain it is sexuality is who you choose to go to bed WITH, gender is who you choose to go to bed AS. Therefore by definition a transgendered MtF who is gay is a lesbian. Your hate for your child if that happens is something that is your problem and I hope you become more of a human being before you have children of your own.

[stefanybody]

@dolphanman7 YOUR A FUCKIN PIECE OF SHIT, AND MOST TRANSEXUALS IDENTIFY AS LESBIAN AS THEY LIKE WOMEN NOT MEN, THERE NOW DO U FEEL BETTER THAT THERE NOT INTRESTED IN YOUR LITTLE SMELLY DICK YOU STUPID ASSHOLE,

[Rachulie]

why do we even HAVE gender roles?! it's a stupid habbit we've all come to accept.

i'm transgender; gender neutral. thank god im not 'fully' trans, my life has been horrible but i couldnt imagine living with ppl in this world and being this kind of transgender. these parents are amazing, brilliant. but one in a million.

[musicalman724]

Thank goodness for parents like this. They give me hope.

[lostchild06]

Jazz is going to be gorgeous when she grows up. Wow

[veganbuttercream]

@hollister5888 She has brothers and a dad. I'm guessing she had seen them from time to time...and there's nothing dirty or wrong about that. We're far more concerned about shielding children from nudity now than ever before...

[94lizzylizard]

those dolls r just wrong

[MrHerplyDerply]

I met this girl. :3

[angelcollector22]

15 months unsnap the shorts to make it a dress....

Give me a break. My girls did that too. I don't know many kids that don't unsnap their shorts or onesies and run around like that.

[wranglerwishes]

my boys never did.

[angelcollector22]

@wranglerwishes

Well, I used to run a daycare and I also have 31 nieces and nephews as well as being around children my whole life and I can say for sure that unsnapping the onesie and toddling around is perfectly normal (for both sexes) and NOT a sign that your child is "gender confused." Thats rubbish...

[jamiethesex1]

what a beautiful little girl!

[TheSnowyice]

Oh and btw not all of us feel as though we're trapped in the wrong body. Some of us are actually quite comforatble with ourselves, thus requiring little to even no medical intervention. For a great example of this, look up transgenderist. We're sort of different from transsexuals.

[TheSnowyice]

I hate it how she describes them as being "biologically boy/girl," instead of using a more educated response like "biologically male/female." That I found very offensive. What I have down there doesn't make me any less of a guy. Other than that and maybe a few other things about this documentary, I appreciate their genuine support, caring and unconditional love.

[flipmaya]

ahhh... DSMV-IV, the book that labels everybody crazy. We read some passages from the book in class and we found a disease for half the class. Would've assigned a disease to the entire class if the bell didn't ring.

[lovebug7891]

ADORABLE :) good luck jazz!

[DesireeSa]

Very touching story, good luck to 'Jazz' as SHE grows up, especially in high school, HS can be very hard for kids who are different and who refuse to conform. Don't ever, ever give up, Jazz! You are what you are, no one can change that and no one should ever tell you otherwise. Stay strong!!

[greykyuubi21]

This actually made me cry a bit. Poor girl :c

[pinfold1000]

The feminist movement  has never had a problem with castration of males !

[TheSnowyice]

0:13 Well, you know unless you're a hermaphrodite. Then you're color is purple, which is pretty spectacular! :-D

[horselover422]

oh that little girl jazz is too cute. wow, i hope my little girl is just like that

[hiltonlive32grnrngr]

STOP CALLING IT "Gender Identity Disorder!!!" It's not a disorder! It's a birth defect!!!!

[jubba13]

SHE IS A GIRL.I WISH THE BEST FOR YOU!

[mysterys1nger]

SHE IS A GIRL OMG WHAT IS HER PROBLEM BARBARA KEEPS CALLING HER A BOY!!!

[0k0a0r0y0]

Wow, God bless this kids. They are so brave and they already have been blessed with their families, so supportive! I hope they have a wonderful life.

[TheDanteOxalis]

God damn it, these are KIDS. They should be watching cartoons, or playing outside with their friends, not wondering whether or not they were born in the correct gender.

I'm gay, but I didn't start thinking about that until I was about 13, because I was too busy enjoying my childhood.

[Bekll]

@TheDanteOxalis It seems the families are so stereotypical from the start saying that blue is for boys, pink is for girls, and what toys go for what gender and trying to keep their kids 'in line' to culturally act what sex they are that gender identity becomes a continually conscious thought for the kids. I'm trigendered myself, but as a kid I was just... a kid. Gender was the last thing I would think about. It wasn't until puberty that it became an issue.

[TheSnowyice]

@TheDanteOxalis They have lives just like any other kid. What did you think they just sit around and think about this stuff all day? I know I didn't. They're just taking some time out of there day to do an interview. That's great that you like most of the world don't have to take any time to question something so seemingly natural, but as for us we do. There's no choice to it, and sadly no matter how much a transperson tries to fight this it won't ever go away. Take this from a ftm who tried.

[Kal061606]

@BMOPstudios500

It's very hard to find out if he is not open about it. I am transgendered, but if you'd never know. I'm attracted to girls, I hang out and play video games too. It's not about interests or belongings. That stuff is taught by society. Being transgendered is about self-identity. Unless he is really brave and/or confident, I don't think he's gonna exhibit his true self. I know I wouldn't.

[BMOPstudios500]

My best friend just told me he had GID. I had no idea. But after he told me I started to notice it. I still don't believe it. He's a completely different person in my mind but when we hang out it's like he's my regular best friend. He likes girls but he doesn't like talking about them or anything non-feminine. He plays xbox with me all the time and seems like a normal kid but he's just a little off. Does he really have GID?

[cow9603]

people go through in their body. god rains on the just and the unjust that's what the word says. god does this because he wants us to see that everyone will have pain even when your a good person but does this mean it should keep you down. i have had this illness since i was born but does stop me from praising god no, does stop me from becoming a better man no. what people as in everyone needs is faith in god that their problems will be solved. god wants his people to stand will you?

[eMisark]

I'm so glad I'm not transgender. I'm just gay :)

[jflx60d]

You're right that God doesn't make mistakes... Yet, people are born with cancer, blindness, and a slew of other terrible, some terminal, diseases. So your simple answer doesn't really fit in this discussion.

[Rayarena]

What brave families. I really admire Jazz's mother, especially when she says that she's a front line defense extinguishing the fires so that they don't burn Jazz. Riley's mother is also a very brave lady. The fathers and siblings are also admirable.

[cow9603]

i think it's funny that the parents let their child be a dike or a fag. If these children had other parent they would be different because of how the parents say no and yes. God doesn't make mistakes you just don't know who you are. as a child how can you say this or that. i didn't have a attraction to girls until i was about 13 so how could a boy be gay at 5. what a time we live in

[andiGrooms]

@cow9603 You have no idea what ur talkin about

[HeartofBriars]

Jazz is a rather pretty little girl.

[theantidoter]

they keep talking like being trans is some defect and no-one would really want to be trans. it's like saying "don't be racist, people of color don't choose their race". what really needs to change is the society that thinks there's something wrong with these kids.

[AlexJade]

@theantidoter There is VERY much a mixed message going on. It is okay for someone to be trans and people need to understand and teach this. At the same time there are a lot of people who are trans, like myself, who do wish they were not trans and they were born cis. While society's treatment of trans people sucks in general there is a line between trans and race. People of color do not dislike the body they were born with like a trans person dislikes the body they were born with.

[VyvienneEaux]

@theantidoter This is not similar to being gay or black. There is something medically wrong with these children. Gay and black people, if accepted by everyone else, can accept themselves and continue living. Transsexuals must use any methods possible to force their bodies to appear the correct gender. It IS a defect to be born incorrectly, because it requires outside intervention to be fixed. I know you mean well, but you just belittled my struggles, and I want to make you aware.

[SmoothCinnamonX]

My only little quibble with this is that Barbara keeps referring to Riley as a boy living as a girl and Jazz as a girl who was born a boy. (?) Why make Riley out to be less of a girl? They're both girls, bot gorgeous, and I LOVE THEM! :o)

[Treemeadow]

@SmoothCinnamonX

Its to make it more easy to understand for people who don't know. Its just journalistic language- it doesn't mean they think they're any less.

[jfreckles824]

@SmoothCinnamonX I think Barbara does it to kind of dumb it down for the people who just cant comprehend it....pure ignorance so it has to be dumbed down

[HeartStrong4ever]

@SmoothCinnamonX Same conclusion, told differently, no lessen of either was intended.

[crazedbirdy9]

@SmoothCinnamonX Its quite correct. Shes not making them to be any less. The child is born male or female and expresses their gender identity as the opposite to what they were born as.

[NCUHSfalcons14]

I dont really like this i am a mtf and still young my therapist agrees its an obvious case of gid and i never was "in love with mermaids" and everything she is doing seems staged...

[JanieceAdonai]

@NCUHSfalcons14 lol

well a larger part of trans children do love mermaids

i know im in love with them and been inlove with them my entire life