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Evidence needed to understand gender identity: Commentary on Turban & Ehrensaft (2018)
Author(s) -
Berenbaum Sheri A.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/jcpp.12997
Subject(s) - transgender , psychology , gender identity , identity (music) , developmental psychology , gender identity disorder , social psychology , psychoanalysis , physics , acoustics
Turban and Ehrensaft (2018) have provided a thoughtful review of transgender identity in children and adolescents, emphasizing the benefits of the affirmative approach in maintaining positive psychological health in transgender individuals. The review reveals significant gaps in our understanding of gender identity regarding its nature, development, plasticity, causes, and links with other aspects of gender, and of the long‐term benefits and costs of childhood social transitions. A full understanding of transgender identity requires studying cisgender identity too, and recognition that gender identity is continuous, develops across time and is not synonymous with gender expression or variations in gender‐typed characteristics. Considerable evidence is needed before we can be confident that we are providing optimal treatment for children who are gender variant.