That Major Decision...

When there were questions brought up on the issue of the medicalization, such as the surgeries for intersex or even the transgendered, one must look at the various aspects of the medical in separate categories of the anatomical to the psychological. What I learned in Joy Bilharz's Sex and Gender class was that those two need to be examined separately. We've already mentioned the work of John Money and the terrible effects it had on the Raimer family. As I have mentioned, I am a firm believer in therapy sessions with the child and the family so that all are comfortable, understand and can support each other. 


As we have talked a bit about the effects that the parent's decision can have on their child, whether intersex or transgender, I wanted to share this video with you. This 20/20 segment is called "My Secret Self" that was a spread aired in 2007 by Barbara Walters. This video takes a glimpse into children who, at a young age, have told their parents that they wanted to be the opposite sex or that they were the wrong sex. You should watch all of the videos; it is somewhere from 3-5 parts. One of the girls, Jazz, has been recognized from her segment having been featured on the OWN channel this past fall with Chaz Bono. In the show, it talks about how she lives her life, the issues, and concerns for the future her and her family are expecting. 


Callie