Let's celebrate our transgender kids

I am an older transgender woman. I am part of a generation that transitioned later in life. Unlike today's transgender youth being debated in schools, my generation and parents did not have access to information as we have today. Though it was with great difficulty, we shrugged it off and gave into the social expectations of our "assigned" gender (and eventually transitioned when the time was right). Yes, we knew as young as age 4.

What may seem like an influx of transgender kids into our schools is not a "movement" or an "agenda." It is merely that we can now identify transgender folks at a younger age.

I am bothered by an often cited claim of "desistance as high as 98 percent" (that trans youth will accept their assigned gender when they grow up.) This study is often used in attempts to exclude transgender youth from public existence. What I read about this study was that it was not just limited to kids meeting the criteria of "consistent, persistent and insistent," that it included a very broad selection criteria and failed to follow up on almost half the participants.

Be aware that when schools accommodate youths like Student A, the students meet the criteria of "consistent, persistent and insistent." They saw therapists, medical professionals and met with school staff prior to being accommodated.

Thanks to modern information and access, transgender youths can now be their true selves as young as age 4. Yes, this is a new concept and a learning curve for the general community as trans kids are now being accommodated in schools. I for one celebrate this new era. I have no regrets transitioning later in life, but I am so happy that transgender youth get to be their true selves almost their entire lives now.

Kristin Dahnert

Lindenhurst