Study finds more than half of American parents would support trans kid’s transition

A new study has found that more than half of parents in the US would support their teenager’s request to transition.

The study, conducted by Harris on behalf of the American Osteopathic Association, found that 53 percent of adults in the US would support their kid’s transition.

Some have taken the study as a sign of growing acceptance for trans people in the US, despite the Trump administration rolling back on trans protections.

Speaking to PR News Wire, Dr Laura Arrowsmith, who works at a trans clinic in Oklahoma, says: “Parents have a significant role in raising transgender kids.

Pride woman

“Once they get on board—often after stages of denial, rejection, condemnation, and grief—they become powerful advocates at school and with extended family. This is crucial to the child’s well-being.”

The study notes that trans young people and adults face higher rates of homelessness, HIV transmission, depression, anxiety, substance abuse and self harm compared to the general population.

It links the rejection of families with trans kids with those factors.

“Watch your child for eating disorders, self-harm, substance abuse and suicidal tendencies,” adds Dr Arrowsmith.

“A mental health counselor who is familiar with transgender people and local support groups can make all the difference.”

The survey was conducted online between June 20 and 22 2017.

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It asked 2,192 adults aged 18 or older their views on having a transgender child.

The family of a transgender 8-year-old earlier this month sued a private school for “intentional infliction of emotional distress” after the school allegedly refused to use female pronouns or let her use the female restroom.

The parents of the Nicole Brar, Priya Shah and Jaspret Brar, also allege that the school refused to let their daughter wear female school uniforms in the lawsuit filed in the Superior Court of California in Orange County.

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As well as emotional distress, the lawsuit also names other charges and seeks compensatory damages which are yet to be determined.

Another transgender teenager last month sued a top private school over being told by staff that he was going through a “phase”.

Several similar cases in the US have reached court in the past year.

Cases in Florida, Maine, Colorado and Wisconsin are generally centred around bathroom access and locker rooms.

Some states have also moved to attempt to block the use of public and school restrooms by transgender people.

This study comes just weeks after President Trump rolled back the right of trans people to serve openly in the US MIlitary.

He cited costs, saying it would be too expensive to cover transgender health benefits for those serving.

But despite this it will cost the military 114 times more to ban transgender troops than it would to allow them to enlist.

Despite the assertion that it would cost the military too much to implement a transgender-inclusive policy, the Department of Defense spent five times more on Viagra in 2014 than it would on care for transgender troops.

Out trans former Navy SEAL Kristin Beck challenged President Trump to tell her to her face that she is “not worthy” after he announced the policy.

She also noted the negligible cost of providing the healthcare to trans troops compared to other military costs.

According to reports, the Pentagon was unaware that Trump was about to announce the rolling back of the Obama-era change.

It is not the first time Trump has gone out of his way to reverse a decision on LGBT rights made by Obama.

The GOP leader has already scrapped protections for transgender school kids, ceased government opposition to state-level anti-LGBT laws, and sought to slash HIV aid funding.

The decisions sour Trump’s previous claims during his election campaign to be a “friend” of LGBT people.

donald trump getty 2017

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Merck boss Kenneth C Frazier and Donald Trump

In a speech directly after the Orlando massacre he had claimed: “Ask yourself, who is really the friend of women and the L-G-B-T community, Donald Trump with his actions, or Hillary Clinton with her words.”

He also won endless praise from gay Republicans for waving a Pride flag on stage, while making no pledges on LGBT rights.

The ACLU has said it will take to the courts to challenge the ban.

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