IN RECENT DAYS WE'VE SEEP
SOME HEATED
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SEXUAL
ORIENTATION AND GENDER
IDENTITY.
TODAY THE GROUP OUT FRONT
MINNESOTA HELD A RALLY
NEAR THE STATE CAPITAL.
THEY SAY THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY
HAS COME UNDER ATTACK
AS BILLS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED
TO LEGISLATE
GENDER-BASED ACCESS TO REST
ROOMS.
THEY SAY THE EFFORT VIOLATES
THE STATE'S HUMAN
RIGHTS PROTECTIONS AGAINST
DISCRIMINATION BASED ON
SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER
IDENTITY.
ANGELA DAVIS SPOKE WITH AN
EXPERT ON TRANCE GENDER
ISSUES, WHO OFFERED SOME
INSIGHT ON THIS AND ADVICE.
YEAH.
A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT P.
YESTERDAY WE TOLD YOU
ABOUT A FIVE-YEAR-OLD CHILD WHO
STARTED KINDERGARTEN
AS A BOY, BUT NOW IDENTIFIES AS
A TRANCE GENDER
GIRL.
HER PARENTS HAVE FILED A
DISCRIMINATION CHARGE WITH
SAINT PAUL'S HUMAN RIGHTS
DEPARTMENT, SAYING THE
SCHOOL DIDN'T DO ENOUGH TO
PROTECT THEIR CHILD FROM
BULLYING.
TODAY I SPOKE WITH A LICENSED
CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK
CHORE COUNSELS FAMILIES WITH
TRANCE GENDER CHILDREN.
THE REASON FAMILIES COME TO
ME IS TO MAKE SURE
THEY'RE SUPPORTING THEIR KIDS
THE BEST THEY CAN, AND
THEY DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT
MEANS THEIR KIDS ARE
TRANCE GENDER.
Reporter:  SOME OF CARRY
McCULLOUGH'S CLIENTS
ARE PRESCHOOLERS.
THOSE KIDS WILL CONSISTENTLY
SAY THEY ARE THE
GENDER OTHER THAN THEY WERE
ASSIGNED AT BIRTH.
Reporter:  BUT WHAT'S --
LOOK AT FREQUENCY AND
DURATION.
HOW OFTEN DOES IT HAPPEN?
HOW LONG DOES IT HAPPEN?
DOES IT HAPPEN IN MORE THAN ONE
SETTING?
DOES IT
HAPPEN AT DAY CARE AND AT HOME,
AND IN THE MALL?
Reporter:  KERRY SAYS THERE
HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
TRANCE GENDER CHILDREN,
TEENAGERS, AND ADULTS.
WHAT'S HAPPENED NOW IS THERE
HAS BEEN MORE
AWARENESS.
I THINK SOCIAL MEDIA HAS
CHANGED THINGS, KIDS IN
A SMALL TOWN IN NORTHERN
MINNESOTA CAN FIND OTHER
KIDS LIKE THEMSELVES.
Reporter:  SHE ENCOURAGES
PARENTS TO HELP
CHILDREN DEAL WITH BULLYING BY
GIVING THEM WORDS TO
USE WHEN TARGETED.
.
Reporter:  SHE SAYS FAMILY
MEMBERS ARE OFTEN IN
MORE NEED OF THERAPY THAN THE
TRANCE GENDER CHILD?
I'VE SEEN EVERY FAMILY COME
THROUGH HERE WITH LITTLE
KIDS.
THEY ARE ALL A LITTLE BLIND
SIDED BY IT WHEN IT
HAPPENS.
Reporter:  THAT THERAPIST
TOLD ME IT'S AROUND
SECOND AND THIRD GRADE CHILDREN
REALLY BEGIN TO
NOTICE GENDER AND SEPARATE INTO
FRIEND GROUPS OF
JUST BOYS OR JUST GIRLS SHE
SAID IT'S IMPORTANT FOR
PARENTS TO EDUCATE KID ABOUT
THIS ISSUE, BECAUSE IT
IS LIKELY IT WILL COME UP WITH
A CLASSMATE AT SOME
POINT.
AND THERE ARE SO MANY
QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.
AND AS WE SAW, SOME
MISCONCEPTIONS.
I HAVE TO IMAGINE SOME FEAR,
TOO.
DEFINITELY.
DID SHE TALK ABOUT THAT?
.
WE DID TALK ABOUT SOME OF
THE
MISUNDERSTANDINGINGS OF TRANCE
GENDER PEOPLE.
ONE IS THEY ARE SOMEHOW
INFLUENCED TO BE THE WAY
THEY ARE.
BUT SHE SAYS YOU CAN'T MAKE
SOMEONE TRANCEER.
AND SHE SAID PARENT SHOULD NOT
