Having gender variance classified as a mental disorder and relying on that for health insurance coverage is a bit of false logic. Most insurance companies in the U.S. exclude treatments for Gender Identity Disorder, but there hormonal imbalances are covered for all kinds of conditions that are not related to GID. People who need to have medical support to manage their gender variance can and should be able to access competent medical care through health insurance, but for the most part right now a GID diagnosis must be avoided if coverage is expected. There are transgender health advocates working to address this issue systemically, both from the activist side as well as from the health care provider side. Thanks, by the way, for your generally excellent responses to the questions raised about this sorely neglected and unfortunately too long obscured topic.
It's Not as Simple as Pink or Blue
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Debra Rosenberg: Yes. Doctors say boys are five times as likely as girls to have some kind of gender identity issue. That could be because it's easier in our society for girls to be masculine—act like tomboys—than it is for boys to be feminine—sissies. So maybe boys (or their parents) are more likely to voice complaints about not fitting in with other boys.
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Glendora, CA: A lot of little kids like to dress up, so at what age does it cross the line from child's play into crossdressing?
Debra Rosenberg: You're right about that—not every child who says they want to be the opposite sex turns out to be transgender. In fact, doctors we spoke with said that only about 15 percent feel transgender when they grow up. Many others may turn out to be gay or lesbian—not because there is any link to sexual orientation, but because gender-variant play can also be a sign of homosexuality. Doctors seem to watch for kids who insist early (as toddlers) and consistently that they are the wrong gender. Many change their minds at puberty. But if they do not, doctors tend to take their statements about being transgender even more seriously.
Of course, many kids who are not gay or lesbian or transgender enjoy dressing up in clothes from the other gender. Doctors look for kids who are insisting on going farther than that—saying they really are the opposite sex, wanting to change their name or cut their hair. It's not just about what they wear.
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