Homosexuality, at the age of five years old would be very hard for any parent to predict any sexual orientation due to the cognitive level of development and denial of the parent. A five year old is still going through developmental milestones, such as gender identification which usually occurs between ages of three and five (Hock, 2008/2009). Gender identification is where a child perceives themselves to be a boy or girl depending on their sex, which possesses varying amounts of masculinity and femininity (Hock, 2008/2009, p. 368). Understanding that you are a boy or girl is a big milestone in development which opens up stereotypes and traditions based on gender. According to Hock, men and women have their differences of masculinity and femininity, which some men who fit extreme masculinity and women that are more feminine but not always, because the two genders can fall on different scale between the two traits (Hock, 2008/2009, p. 368). Gender-role behavior of children seems to be strongly influenced by their identification with the males or females in their lives (Schor, 1999). According to Healthy Children, research suggests that boys that have unusually close relationships with their mothers and especially distant relationships with their fathers show more effeminate behavior and is encouraged and support the “female” activities (Schor, 1999). I feel that five years old, is a hard time to label any kid to be homosexual because they are exploring their bodies and gender roles with the impact of environmental situations that can allow this exploration to play against the normalization of what a boy and girl are supposed to do. According to Dr. Hatterer, you may supply your sons with footballs and your daughters with dolls, “the researchers pointed out, “but no one can guaranteed that they will enjoy them” (Brody, 1981).
According to Zucker, over the past
30 years he has treated about 500 preadolescence gender-variant children in
which 80 percent grow out of the behavior (Brown, 2006). Kids that are not in
the 80 percent of phasing out with gender identity problems will show signs of
being unhappy, lonely, and isolated which can also lead to separation anxiety,
depression, and behavior problems (Fitzgibbons, 2001). For parents that are
dealing with their kid’s behavior towards gender association is usually laughed
off and not thought about until children stay constant with these behaviors or
start showing behaviors defensively.
Positive outcomes would be associated with role-playing that can be
associated with duplicating the actions of others, including their parents.
Role playing like a boy using a mother’s makeup can be motivation to play and
use critical thinking skills that can lead into education of the kid’s gender
and normal traditions.
I feel that children that are
diagnosed with a gender identity disorder which is a diagnosis that doesn’t
usually phase out not to be exhibiting a paraphilia because they are not
associated with arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors with nonhuman
objects, and suffering or humiliation of oneself or ones partners or the
children of other non-consenting person (Argosy, 2011). The diagnostic criteria
for gender identity disorder in children, 302.6 in the DSM-IV-TR states, the
disturbance is manifested by four or more of the following behaviors such as
repeatedly stated desire to be, or insistence that he or she is, the other sex,
cross-dressing or simulating female attire in boys and wearing masculine
clothing for girls (American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and
statistical manual of mental disorders, 1994, p. 537). That difference between
a paraphilia and gender identity disorder is how the behavior is relayed. I
feel that some kids that explore other genders style of dress and play is just
a normal behavior that is considered exploration and the amount of exploration
can depend on how masculine or feminine the kid is. Unless the kid show
behaviors and makes comments that they really do not want to be their natural
born sex then a therapist should be visited. Catching gender identity disorder
at an early age can help the kid and family get educated so there won’t be any
form of denial and gives the kid a chance to work with a therapist until they
are truly old enough to realize what the impact of a sex change and hormone
therapy would be.
I feel that the best intervention would be to
allow all the kids to play and explore so they can get a true understanding of
what the differences of being a boy or girl really are. I would never reinforce
negative criticism towards a child that displays a little more than different
behavior because in theory it’s a way of learning and the child is constantly
critical thinking. If I was to create an
intervention at such a young age that could only create physiological issues
later down the road but I would always be aware of my child’s behavior so that
if I do see something that is constant or very repetitive then I can seek
professional counseling. The only intervention that I would supply, would be
the sympathy and devotion that I lavish on my children anyway and nothing would
change the way I feel and love my kids.
American Psychiatric Association.
(1994). 306.2. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders
(6th). doi:
Brody, J. E. (1981, August 23,
1981). KINSEY STUDY FINDS HOMOSEXUALS SHOW EARLY PREDISPOSITION [Newspaper]. The
New York Times. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/23/us/kinsey-study-finds-homosexuals-show-early-predisposition.html
Brown, P. L. (2006, December 2,
2006). Supporting Boys or Girls [Newspaper]. The New York Times.
Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/02/us/02child.html
Fitzgibbons, R. P. (2001). Gender
Identity Disorder in Children. Retrieved from
http://www.narth.com/docs/fitz.html
Hock, R. (2009). Human Sexuality
(Second Edition ed.). Retrieved from
http://digitalbookshelf.argosy.edu/#/books/0558220258 (Original work published
2008)
Schor, E. L. (1999). American
Academy of Pediatrics [Supplemental material]. Healthy Children. doi:
CB00003-P
No comments:
Post a Comment