Parenting Transgender Youth or Gender Nonconforming Individuals: A Conversation with Jenifer McGuire from the U of M’s College of Education & Human Development

When young people question their gender identity or reveal that they are not comfortable with the identity they were assigned at birth, it is a deeply emotional time for the young person, parents and other family members. What parental responses will help or hinder the young person’s health and well-being? What interventions, both psychological and medical, are available and appropriate? What are common feelings and concerns for parents as they navigate this major and complex change? And at what age – and to what extent – can young people be certain that gender change is the true path for them?   All of these issues are the focus of the work of Jenifer McGuire, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Family Social Science, who joins Marti & Erin for a candid and informative discussion of this important topic.   What experience have you had with transgender or gender nonconforming individuals in your family or community? What did you hear in this Mom Enough discussion that would be helpful to you in learning to support a young person who has questions or discomfort about gender identity?   Related Resources: The transgender toolkit, click here. Children's Mental Health eReview, click here. For Transforming Families, click here. For Gender Spectrum, click here. Personal Reflections and Professional Insights Mom Enough podcast. To listen, click here.