My stepdaughter believes she is transgender and wants to start transitioning when she moves out
DEAR DEIDRE: MY stepdaughter believes she is transgender and intends to start transitioning as soon as she leaves home.
Her mother and I are reeling but want to be understanding.
My stepdaughter is 16 and I’ve been with her mum for five years.
I am 43 and she is 39.
We thought her daughter might be gay but she says she feels she is a male living in a female body.
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DEIDRE SAYS: It is a lot more common than it ever used to be for girls to feel they want to transition.
Maybe society is more open-minded or perhaps being female feels so pressured now. But some people have turned out to be feeling “different” because they have an undiagnosed condition such as autism.
The important thing to do is listen and try to be open-minded, but suggest there is no rush. You can download a helpful guide for families who are facing transgender issues at fflag.org.uk.
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