Thesis Statement: Social norms play a significant role in the development of gender

dysphoria among adolescents and the way that their brain and social attributes evolve.

To begin with, it is important to understand the differences between sex and

gender. Sex is defined as the differences between males and females from the

physiological and physical perspective (Little 2014). On the other hand, gender is the

knowledge and ideology about sexual differences or referring to social and cultural

differences rather than biological ones. Culture and societal expectations have played a

significant role in how children and adolescents are being educated and how the

normalities that society offers may affect them as it can pressure them to be someone

they might not feel comfortable with. The differences between gender and sex matter

because culture and societal expectations have created many challenges in the way in

which children and adolescents are taught in the present. For example, societal

expectations can come in the form of educating boys to have masculine behavior, and

girls to have feminine behavior. The issue becomes when society expects the boy or girl

to socialize depending on their sex. In other words, if the boy or girl does not behave as

society expects them to act, the boy or girl will face discrimination and bullying as a

consequence of not following social norms. Consequently, researchers found that

adolescents with gender dysphoria have proven to show more cases of stress,

depression, suicidal thoughts, and overall emotional and behavioral problems (Hartig,

A., Voss, C., Herrmann, L., Fahrenkrug, S., Bindt, C., & Becker-Hebly, I., 2022).
 Gender dysphoria is defined as the distress a person feels due to a mismatch

between the sex assigned at birth with their gender identity (What is gender dysphoria,

n.d.). To put it another way, it is a psychological desire to be of another gender or to be

treated as another gender. Gender dysphoria can be experienced as early as 4-6 years

of age, and it can occur at any stage of an individual’s life (Lebow, H. I., 2021).

Adolescence is the stage where individuals report having the poorest treatment and

bullying when compared to other stages. Adolescents also face challenges in the home

as they face parental neglect due to gender nonconformity and can be removed from

their homes. As a matter of fact, a study demonstrated the prevalence of gender

dysphoria among adolescents to be 4.6 per 100,000 (Anna van der Miesen, M. D. M. A.,

n.d.).

Moreover, researchers conducted a study that demonstrated that youth

transgender, gender nonconforming, or those with gender dysphoria showed an

increased risk of suicidal and non-suicidal self-harming behaviors and thoughts. The

study surveyed parents regarding self-harming thoughts and behaviors of their children

and/or adolescents and surveyed the children and adolescents with gender dysphoria

(gender nonconforming and transgenders were also studied). In the results, it stated

that parents reported 6% of the cases of childhood and 20% and 29% of adolescent

cases. The reality was that adolescents reported 38% and 45% of self-harming

behaviors and thoughts (Hartig, A., Voss, C., Herrmann, L., Fahrenkrug, S., Bindt, C., &

Becker-Hebly, I., 2022). Thus, showing that parents are not aware of how their children

and adolescents are developing and do not have too much parental involvement. It is
important to acknowledge the significance of parental involvement and support as

studies have shown that mental health outcomes are comparable between cisgender

and gender-diverse adolescents when they have support from family members

(Amanda Doyle, 2019). Further research on gender-diverse individuals shows an

association between the status of gender affirmation and low family support, with the

likelihood to move away from home, and an association between high family support

with higher self-esteem (Seibel, B. L., de Brito Silva, B., Fontanari, A. M. V., Catelan, R.

F., Bercht, A. M., Stucky, J. L., DeSousa, D. A., Cerqueira-Santos, E., Nardi, H. C.,

Koller, S. H., & Angel Costa, 2018)

Furthermore, a study did clinical controls to examine peer relationships of

adolescents with gender dysphoria. The study examined two major forms of bullying

(gender identity/sexuality vs. general forms) and how peer relationships influence

friends and bullying on emotional and behavioral problems. The study reported that

adolescents with gender dysphoria had significantly more behavioral and emotional

problems when compared to the clinical control adolescents. In terms of peer

relationships, the study reported that adolescents with gender dysphoria had fewer

friends of the same sex, but had more friends of the opposite sex when compared to the

control group. Not to mention, general and gender bullying, fewer friends of the same

sex, were associated with a greater number of self-reported emotional and behavioral

problems (Shiffman, M., VanderLaan, D. P., Wood, H., Hughes, S. K., Owen-Anderson,

A., Lumley, M. M., Lollis, S. P., & Zucker, K. J., 2016). In addition to this, another study

(a cross-clinic comparative analysis) examined emotional and behavioral problems in

children and adolescents with gender dysphoria in two separate clinics and discovered

that poor peer relations were a strong predictor of emotional and behavioral problems in

adolescents with gender dysphoria (de Vries, A. L. C., Steensma, T. D., Cohen-

Kettenis, P. T., VanderLaan, D. P., & Zucker, K. J., 2015). What the research is

demonstrating is that peer relationships are affecting gender-dysphoric adolescents into

having emotional breakdowns and are causing them to have suicidal and/or self-

harming thoughts. The issue is not only the individuals who bully but also the common

societal belief of how a body should look according to its gender. Society educated

them to believe that gender-dysphoria individuals are “wrong” to feel the way they do.

The standardized perception of how a body figure should look according to a

specific gender derives from surgical/medical practices that advocated creating a

feminized face structure for male-to-female trans-women. Facial feminization surgery

(FFS) originated in the mid-1980s and it consisted of reconstructive facial procedures to

modify and aid in “properly” assigning the assessment and attribution of sex in everyday

life (Plemons, 2014.) While this practice was limited to certain surgeons in the United

States and around the world, the importance of this procedure came as a result of social

neglect and discrimination. Other forms of surgical procedures such as genital sex

reassignment surgeries were conducted during this time and proved to provide

interpersonal reassurance and confidence, but it wasn’t enough to combat societal

expectations and welcoming, leaving individuals out of various opportunities if others

had an accurate perception of their everyday sex.

 ● Female facial attributes were researched and determined to be different from the

male structure, which is the idolized view of society

● Individuals were oftentimes forced to let go of many dreams and aspirations as a

result of gender-assigned tasks and goals.

● Still, being female was categorized as “unintelligent” and “incapable”, thus

limiting the opportunities that many had in succeeding in the real world.

● (Plemons, Social norms play a significant role in the development of gender

dysphoria among adolescents and the way that their brain and social attributes

evolve, 2014)

● Social constructs have allocated certain characteristics and benefits to certain

structures while neglecting other factors that contribute to an individual’s

attributions.

The implementation of certain curricula into younger audiences, oftentimes

hidden, results in the appearance of natural (accepted) differences between genders.

Preschool institutions and follow-up academic organizations have the objective of

forming disciplined-bodied individuals. The reality is that social life is influenced by the

way that bodies are interpreted, presented, and monitored (Martin, n.d.) The issue with

disciplined bodies in this context is that several hidden strategies play a huge role in the

development and incarnation of gender through childhood experiences. Embodying

gender in itself can be traced to clothing restrictions, expectations in physical

interactions among each other, differences between verbal and nonverbal interventions
about a children’s body movements, and in showing appropriate behaviors as a result of

assigned genders.

● Children learn to identify these differences and accept social norms,

resulting in the adaptation of them and forcing their minds to act as they

were taught

● Gender differences are reinforced throughout these experiences, though

most of the time, these are implemented into children’s minds through

family or other contexts. (Churches, hospitals, workplaces)

The development of cognitive and social skills is impacted by gender stereotypes

and gender differences demonstrated through toys and other behaviors and activities.

The three main viewpoints to take into consideration are cognitive-development

impacts, social interpretation, and the biological perspective. Subtle (and some not so

subtle) messages are portrayed through people, government, cultures, and other

principles. In short, all of these agents are involved in the link that children make

between gender labels, stereotypes, and toy selection. Advertisements, media articles,

peers, siblings among other social and cultural factors contribute to the way that

children perceive toys and also the way their interests are shaped. Studies have shown

that parents are a barrier to toy selection as they are responsible for the exposure to

specific toys and encourage children to participate in gendered-focused activities.

These efforts are targeted toward following flawed society standards while limiting

choice and their ability to develop their cognitive thinking and problem-solving skills.
What this means is that performance and behaviors are influenced by adult-controlled

activities and forced interests

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