21.1 Parents, Pronouns, and Puberty: When Complex Family Dynamics Impact Affirmative Care for the Gender-Transitioning Adolescent and Young Adult

Abstract

Youth presenting with gender identity concerns across development require a level of assessment that goes beyond what is typically taught in child and adolescent psychiatry residency. These youth are presenting in clinical practice more and more. The desire for the youth to transition genders is an element that is often raised by the referring source, the youth themselves, or the parents/guardians. Complicated family situations (divorced parents, disagreeing parents, parents conforming to societal pressures to transition or not transition their children) often introduce a more difficult element to an already-challenging situation.