Study: Gender identity issues can harm kids’ mental health

New studies show that children struggling with their gender identity also face higher risks for abuse and mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder. Children with gender identity disorder show a strong, persistent discomfort with their biological sex. They identify with and display behaviors usually seen in the opposite sex. “These kids are really normal — they just want to be the other gender,” said Meyer, a psychiatrist who works with transgender patients at the University of Texas Medical Branch, in Galveston. “The ones who are well-adjusted and well-accepted by their families and at school don’t have the psychiatric issues.” Visit the TransActive website for a list of resources for transgender youth.

[via HON]