@goatsarah I ask this to learn, not to pass judgement.

How did you know at age 5 that your mental sex did not match physical one? Because you prefered playing with dolls with other girls instead of Tonka trucks with other boys? (pardon the cliché, I want to learn)

While with hindsight, you can confidently state the signs that were there at 5 ended up being long term, but when you were 5, would you have known this "issue" was to be permanent as opposed to just a passing phase of growing up?

@jfmezei @goatsarah

How did you know your "mental sex" matched your "physical sex" at age 5?

I assume the way you were being socialized, the nicknames you were given, the clothing you were provided, the behavior that was encouraged, the colors you were permitted to like, the stuffed animals you had, the toys you were given all matched who you thought you were.

From birth, you are immediately are inundated with "girls should be like this; boys should be like that". It's everywhere, down to the color your room is painted and whether or not they put a bow in your first whispy hairs.

As soon as you can see boys and girls are treated differently, you can tell which side you'd rather be on. If it matches, you'll never notice. If it doesn't match, then you have gender dysphoria.

@jrdepriest @goatsarah Fair enough. But aren't there many who act different as kids (girls who are tom boys for instance) but once puberty/hormones kick in, end up naturally growing into their body's sex?

My curiosity is about how/when one knows this is your permanent self identity vs just passing phase between kid and finishing puberty.

Is there a way to determine this when someone is just 5 ?
Not opposed to someone being who they want to be. Just curious when this can be determined

@jfmezei @goatsarah

My wife was a tomboy. She played with Tonka trucks in her sandbox and the last time she wore makeup or a dress was almost thirty years ago at our wedding.

She never once thought about being a boy.

You cannot understand gender dysphoria if you've never felt it. You don't have to understand it. Just believe people when they tell you.

She doesn't understand gender dysphoria, either. But she loves me and she knows how much happier I am since I transitioned.

@jrdepriest @goatsarah Have 0 problem with adults deciding for themselves. People should be free to be who they want to be. That is what freedom and liberty is all about.

Since original was about issue of transitioning as a kid, my question is how one can know this is permanent disphoria as a kid vs just a temporary phase of life.

Can physically male kid wear pink and play with girls and wait till later for formal transition? (and with parent's support)

@jfmezei @goatsarah

Gender dysphoria in children exists. Doctors and scientists who went to school to learn how to study this kind of thing agree that it exists. You do not understand it. That is fine, that is fine. You do not have to.

Do you think they do gender reassignment surgeries on children? That's conservative fear mongering. The only treatments for kids are social transitioning and, eventually, puberty blockers. Puberty blockers keep the body from undergoing any permanent changes so they can figure out what they want to do. Stop the blockers and they have the puberty their in-built organs pump out. Start HRT and they have the other puberty.

What if a child assigned female at birth asks to be called "he" for six months and then changes her mind? So what? They were allowed to explore the option. Childhood should be a time when kids are not afraid to experiment and when their parents and family support them. For example, in many households, a little boy asking to be a princess for Halloween will get them beaten, punished. They don't have the freedom to find out if it's "just a phase" (which is such a dogwhistle).

In an ideal world, even if it is just temporary, they still get to try it out. No harm done.