The Daily Telegraph’s front page main story today is regarding a child who has begun the process of transitioning gender at just four-years-old.
Although whether this is as big a deal as it’s being made out to be is up for discussion, seeing as it’s highly common for trans people to know their true gender identity from a very young age.
The child is obviously too young to be identified for privacy reasons. The Education Department would also not confirm if they were born male or female.
The deputy secretary of the Education Department, Gregory Prior, has confirmed that the four-year-old is the youngest Australian on record to be going through the process of changing their gender. However, 250 children, some as young as three, have made appointments with the gender dysphoria unit at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital.
Prior also revealed during budget estimate discussions that the Safe Schools programs had been used to assist teachers in helping and supporting the child.
Experts disagree about whether or not four is too young to start transitioning.
Clinical psychologist Rose Cantali told The Daily Tele that four was “absolutely too early” to officially change gender.
“I would be very hesitant and other psychologists would say the same. Everything is developmental at that age.”
While Dr Rosemary Jones, a gynaecologist who is transgender, argued that four was “a good age” for children to come to terms with such a thing and that “parents who have any sense can usually pick it”.
