RAMOS, ALYSSA ROSE B.

March 20, 2020

GENSOC1 - TTh; 11:00-12:30 P.M.

A Position Paper About Gender Nonconformity

It has been established in the societal norms and expectations that gender
nonconformity in childhood has also been linked to adult homosexuality. (Skidmore,
W.C. et al., 2006) Experts are also beginning to pay attention to this due to the
increasing rate of families with children who struggle with gender that speak and ask for
more rights and inclusion. (D’ Arcy, J., 2012) and psychological studies presented that it
has been associated with poorer relationships with parents. (Roberts, A., 2012).

As stated by Ehrensaft, D. in 2012, gender non-conformity refers to any

individual, adult or child, who does not abide by the culture’s socially defined binary
gender boxes. Prepubescent children who do not conform to expected gender-related
sociological or psychological patterns, or identify with the opposite sex or gender is
referred to as Children Gender Non-confirmity (CGN).

As children manifest traits, interests, or behaviors that are not stereotypically

analogous with their sex, there is a greater possibility that parents would be influenced
by some factors to how they should respond to their children’s actions as gender
non-conformists. It is of substantial importance for the parents to nurture, support and
persevere. For that reason, I advocate and stand on raising awareness for the parents
of children engaging in gender-nonconforming behaviors as to what the video entitiled
“She Was Born My Son” stand for.

In the past few years, transgender people have increasingly been willing to
identify themselves openly. (Schneider, M., 2008). Point was made that public
awareness of transgender issues has increased dramatically due to the arising number
of books, motion pictures, and television programs featuring transgender characters and
addressing transgender issues.

According to the article of Diavolo, L. in 2017, the transgender community

continues to fight for civil rights in the United States, one of the most common
arguments against progress is that transgender people are a recent phenomenon.
Some regard transgender people as a symptom of the postmodern condition, or ​identity
politics on steroids​. Many claim that the struggle for transgender rights is difficult
because the concept is still new ​to many Americans​. Often these new directions in
research have taken a more holistic approach to the lives of transgender people. Giving
the discrimination and outright violence they experience, it is little wonder that many
gender non-conformists try to assimilate or adjust to society’s norms in order to avoid its
wrath. It is therefore also important to have narratives about gender conformers whose
artistic and intellectual strivings have led them to people that celebrate and not vilify
their existence.

The article entitled “The Aesthetics and Representation of Gender

Nonconformity” in the study of Lester, T. (2002) explores how through independent
thought, self-expressions and alternative forms of representation, gender
non-conformists reinvent themselves outside the box of majority culture expectations. In
relation to the story of Adrienne Anzelmo, a mother who has a gender variant child who
was born male and began identifying as female from a very young age. Despite the
difficulties their family have faced outside the comfort zone, Adrienne created a book
portraying a family’s foundational feelings and struggles with gender nonconformity.

D’Arcy, J. (2012) also mentioned that It is really hard to explain how a parent can
recognize her gender variant child but paying attention might work. That is why parents
are responsible to guide and provide the necessary changes in her child’s environment.
If a parent cannot see it, it may be the child has already figured out that it is not going to
be fine in the family, and therefore hides the truth, and that is never good for a child’s
sense of wellbeing and confidence in who they are.

Gender creativity is the combination of nature, nurture and culture. (D’ Arcy, J.,
2012) It is only through continued analysis and understanding of these dynamic
processes that we can work to end the kind of restrictive gender policing that still goes
on today’s societal views. The most important manner a parent can guide a child along
this experience is by having the perception that parents have little authority over
children’s identity but prodigious influence over their child’s gender health. A parent can
take notice of and act on what her child says and show about his gender expressions
and gender identity because this can lead him/her to create his/her own authentic and
eloquent self.

The story of Maddie, the feminine eccentric child of Adrienne Anzelmo depicted
an idea concerning gender acceptance that specializes in caring and educating young
children with unconditional love. ​Having transgender characters leads to more visibility,
which creates education. ​It gives a lesson that either men or women should feel at ease
to be sensitive, strong and expressive without taking into account gender social norms .
It is of great importance that parents accept their child for what and who they are as an
individual and let him/her become the person he/she was meant to be. Time has now
come that we must all appreciate gender on a spectrum not as two counteracting
companies but as gender distinctiveness.
 REFERENCES

Skidmore, W.C., Linsenmeier, J.A.W. & Bailey, J.M. ​Gender Nonconformity and
Psychological Distress in Lesbians and Gay Men. Arch Sex Behav 35, 685–697
(2006). Retrieved on March 17, 2020, from
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-006-9108-5

D’ Arcy, J. (2012). ​Gender identity and children who struggle with it​. The Washington
Post: Democracy Dies in Darkness. Retrieved on March 17, 2020, from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-parenting/post/gender-identity-and-chi
ldren-who-struggle-with-it/2012/04/22/gIQABBJlaT_blog.html

Roberts, A. L., Rosario, M., Corliss, H. L., Koenen, K. C., & Austin, S. B. (2012).
Childhood gender nonconformity: a risk indicator for childhood abuse and
posttraumatic stress in youth. Pediatrics​, ​129​(3), 410–417. Retrieved on March
17, 2020, from https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-1804

Schneider, M. et al. (2009). ​Report of the APA Task Force on Gender Identity and
Gender Variance, ​pg. 3. Washington, DC: USA. Retrieved on March 17, 2020
from ​https://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/policy/gender-identity-report.pdf​.

Diavolo, L. (2017). ​Gender Variance Around the World Over Time: It’s nothing new.
Teen Vogue Newspaper. New York, USA. Retrieved on March 17, 2020, from
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/gender-variance-around-the-world

Lester, T. (2002). Gender Nonconformity, Race and Sexuality: Charting the

Connections​, pg. 7. The University of Wisconsin Press: Madison, Wisconsin,
USA. Retrieved on March 17, 2020, from
https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=hdUNYHrxKVoC&printsec=frontcover#v=
onepage&q&f=false​.