Debate surrounding trans identity:
How does it affect the mental health of young trans and non-binary people?
Debate surrounding trans identity:
How does it affect the mental health of young trans and non-binary people?
Based on an interview with psychologist Lou-Ann Morin
Parents protesting LGBTQ+ rights on the front page of the newspaper, violent discourse on social media, recent laws infringing on trans and non-binary people’s rights, increasing rates of hate crimes: what impacts do these current events have on gender diverse young people and their mental health?
It’s easy to see how doubts and fears can sneak into their thoughts while they are in the complex and sometimes intense multi-step process of self-discovery.
As a parent or a member of school staff, how do you avoid the polarizing and divisive social context to help young people develop proactive and inclusive attitudes toward gender diversity?
Dr. Lou-Ann Morin, a psychologist and psychology teacher at the Collège de Maisonneuve specializing in issues faced by people 14 and up who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, offers advice and possible approaches to these situations.
IS THE DEBATE ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY A NEW PHENOMENON?
According to psychologist Dr. Morin, heated discussions about gender identity are nothing new. Since the 60s, when the topic first popped up in the health sphere, challenges and debates have occurred continuously.
A large part of our society is based on binary division on the basis of gender even before a child is born. Gender reveal parties with their blue and pink, names, clothes and even toys for children all follow the same divisions, conditioning individuals in our society based on their sex assigned at birth.
Without being aware, parents can influence their child’s discovery of their gender, leading their children to follow these gendered rules in response to their behaviours and attitudes stemming from gendered socialization. Being aware that your child’s reality may diverge from your expectations as their parent can have a large impact on the beliefs held by some families who are themselves influenced by cultural biases and social reliance on binaries.
This phenomenon is also reinforced by our natural tendency as humans to make cognitive shortcuts when dealing with subjects that we aren’t familiar with. Trans and non-binary identities are very complex topics with many nuances. It can be difficult for some people to fully understand the questions being asked and it can be tempting to rely on stereotypes and judgments.
According to Dr. Morin, the fact that parents protesting against trans identities and their hateful ideology are on the front page of the news can—wrongfully—imply that they represent the opinions of the majority of people. Yet the truth is that, in most families, the situation is much more nuanced. Some may simply have questions about trans identities because it is a much more common topic nowadays, and because there is a lack of general knowledge about these identities, such as:
“Is this just a trend or is it an identity that’s always existed?”
“Does talking to younger children about this influence their development?”
“Is it possible that trans and non-binary young people may face violence or discrimination at school or elsewhere?”
While it may seem like rejection, certain parents fall victim to their own ignorance and anxiety in the face of this complicated and delicate topic.
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE DEBATE ABOUT TRANS IDENTITY ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF YOUNG TRANS AND NON-BINARY PEOPLE?
Recent studies show that current events have resulted in an increase in the psychological distress of trans and non-binary young people, who are subject to more ruminations. Even though teens watch the news less often than adults, trans and non-binary young people may experience bullying and discrimination on social media and at school.
To be more precise, these young people are often impacted by minority stress, a type of chronic stress that can affect even their sleep and which, over time, can impact their mental and physical health.
Certain studies show a trend that trans and non-binary people are more likely to have heart problems and a lower life expectancy because of the marginalization they face.
Psychologically, young people will experience an increase in symptoms of stress and ruminations, all the more because they will see that a portion of the population supports the discrimination that they experience. In the long term, this can increase their chances of depression and even suicidal ideation.
Minority stress can also lead to a fear of going to school or accessing health care, as they can lack the tools to adequately address their needs. This can be especially true as the debate about trans identity can lead some doctors to decline to treat young people who want to transition, further increasing young people’s anxiety.
According to the guidelines on the health and well-being of gender and sexually diverse people, in Quebec, a health professional cannot refuse care to a trans person. They have the responsibility to refer a patient who they do not feel capable of treating with a trans affirming approach.
Due to the frequent lack of understanding and microaggressions that they face in society, trans and non-binary teens may also hesitate to come out in both their intimate and broader social circles, and/or to their family unit, who could interfere with their desire to transition in an attempt at avoiding “regrets.” The reality is that studies have shown that a very small minority of trans and non-binary teens regret their transition. When parents express this fear of regret, it can emphasize the feeling of discomfort that young trans people feel instead of prioritizing their health needs, which are crucial to their psychological well-being.
This dismissal not only limits the ways in which trans teens feel able to explore their identity, but it can also result in internalized transphobia. This can in turn lead teens to develop feelings of shame and self-destructive behaviours such as drug or alcohol use and self-harm.
A study conducted in Ontario in 2010 established that support from parents and society at large reduced suicidal ideation by 93%. Another study done in 2010 showed that even just using the correct pronouns reduced depression by 50%.
Remember: being trans or non-binary does not necessarily mean that a teen will experience mental health problems. The rejection these young people face from society and loved ones is what creates the most distress. Trans and non-binary people who receive support can have a very high quality of life and succeed in every part of their lives.
AS A MEMBER OF SCHOOL STAFF: WHAT APPROACH SHOULD YOU TAKE IN CLASS WHEN DISCUSSING TRANS AND NON-BINARY IDENTITIES?
If you want to raise awareness among your students on this topic, it’s important to be sufficiently familiar with the realities that trans people face and to pay close attention to your own biases to be sure that you’re not perpetuating stereotypes.
That said, even if you are well informed, it is better to rely on specialized external advocates like the Coalition des familles LGBTQ+ or the GRIS to make sure that your students are aware of all the nuances of this topic. This means that even if there are hostile reactions during the presentation, the trans and non-binary teens present will see advocates who are capable of responding in a confident and supportive manner. This outcome is much less harmful for these young people than seeing their teacher falter, allowing discriminatory and violent comments to be expressed without a concrete and proactive response.
👉 It is also important not to single out a trans student in front of their peers to ask their opinion on trans identities. Instead, start by telling the class your pronouns to show everyone your acceptance of gender diversity. This directs the focus toward yourself instead of your student.
👉 It is also best to avoid addressing this topic from a purely theoretical standpoint. For this reason, organizing an in-class debate about gender ideology may result in the abstraction of the topic, making trans and non-binary young people feel like animals in a zoo and increasing their sense of stigmatization.
👉 Outside of having these discussions, it’s very important to have a strict policy against transphobic acts that can take place at school, as well as racist, homophobic and misogynistic acts.
👉 If a trans student comes to you to talk about the difficulties they face as a trans person, it’s critical to start the conversation by asking for their name and pronouns, and asking how you can help them. If a student is being bullied or discriminated against, you can offer potential solutions, but it’s important to let them decide how to handle the situation. Don’t give in to the desire to be a saviour; if you take a strong stance in this student’s name in front of their peers without their consent, you run the risk of making their problems worse.
Dr. Morin illustrates this using the following example: a young trans person is struggling to use the gendered bathrooms because they have to face their classmates’ judgments. A teacher tells them that they can use the teacher’s toilet, but this only makes them stick out more, because everyone sees the special treatment that they are receiving.
👉 Just showing up for them, showing that you are there to support them and listening to their needs makes all the difference. For example, when assigning group work, ask if they would like to pair up with a friend, someone understanding and caring, instead of putting them with a random group of students.
Keep in mind that young people are still developing. It’s possible that their identity will evolve over time, including their name, pronouns and personal style. Adapting to these changes is a great way to support and reassure teens so they know that school is a safe space for them.
Don’t hesitate to ask for support from your school team when helping a young trans person who is experiencing psychological distress.
📑 Brief trans identity glossary:
Assigned at birth based on the child’s physical characteristics. This premature classification of children as a girl or boy based primarily on their external sex organs is a social, medical and legal construct. In Quebec, sex assigned at birth must be recorded by the Directeur de l’état civil within thirty days following the baby’s birth to conform to protocol under penalty of a fine.
Reflects one’s internal conception of their self, an intrinsic, intimate and profound sense of being a boy, a girl or somewhere on the non-binary spectrum, a gender identity separate from traditional binary categories.
The word “trans” is currently used as an umbrella term encompassing a variety of experiences. A trans person is someone whose gender identity is different than the one assigned to them at birth. For example, a trans man is someone who was assigned female at birth and who self-identifies as a man, while a trans woman is someone who was assigned male at birth and who self-identifIes as female. This umbrella term is currently the most commonly used term when discussing trans people.
Part of the spectrum of trans identities. Non-binary is a very diverse term with multiple definitions given the diversity of the people who identify with the spectrum that this term refers to. Non-binary people, especially those who identify as fluid or creative, exist and navigate between the masculine and feminine through diverse methods of gender expression. This gender experience often includes the use of neutral pronouns like they/them and/or neo-pronouns.