Gender Development
The development of gender awareness is essential for sense of self and to conform into a contributing member of society. In terms of evolutionarily, a male is to hunt, provide, and be a bread winner; whereas a female is to raise children, contribute where she possibly can. Gender identity can be seen as one of the earliest social categories that children learn more about themselves and others. Once a child is born with a gender identity disorder, the biology gender role is compromised when it comes to contributing to the society.
In NPR, they had a report on two families with boys that were diagnosed with gender identity disorder. In their report, two boys both had gender identity disorder starting from when they were one years old yet these two boy received two different types of therapy. The two types of approach for treatment was 1. Dr. Ken Zucker’s approach to treat children with gender identity disorder was for the parents to alter their parenting style, such as not allowing the child to interact with girls, remove girl toys and not allowing the child to pretend that he is a female character. 2. Diane Ehrenhaft’s approach was that if the children is satisfied and happy with who they are and they show no signs of depression or anxiety, then the child does not need therapy.
As I continue to listen to NPR in the resulting treatment for both of these boy, it must be very difficult from these parents to undergo these transitions and seeing the child experiencing a gender identity disorder. I personality love to see anybody happy and free and I agree with the treatment approach of Diane Ehrenhaft. The reason why I agree to her approach is because the gender of the brain that the child is born with can't be changed after birth. I feel that people

especially parents, should always accept their children as