Keeping it simple
Gender Education for young people and families.
Youth Hub
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the mountains of information that are out there. This section of our website is for young people and their families who want to get a better understanding of what it means to be gender variant and how best to access the support you need.
Let’s start with the basics…
LGBT is the short version for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender. Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual refer to your sexuality which is the person or people you are attracted to, Transgender refers to your gender and the way you wish to be seen by the world.
What does transgender actually mean?
If your gender is different to the way other people see you or how your body looks then you may be transgender. If you are transgender other people may think you are a girl, but you know you are a boy. Or you may know that you are a girl even though you have a penis. For transgender people, the gender other people see them as just doesn’t seem to fit with who they know themselves to be. Lots of people shorten the word transgender and just say ‘trans’, some people don’t say trans, they use the term gender diverse – but it’s all the same thing.
Binary and non-binary
Some people are very clear about their gender, they know they are a girl, a female or a woman. Other people know that they are a boy, man, male. This is the case whether that was the gender they were given at birth or not.
These are called the binary genders – binary means ‘between two things’ one or two, black or white, male or female.
There are other people who don’t feel that the labels “male” or “female” truly describe who they are. These people identify as non-binary, and that is how they describe their gender.
If you do not feel that like a boy or a girl you may be non-binary, or gender fluid.
Nowadays people use the word trans to mean anyone whose gender is different from the one they were thought to be at birth.
Most people grow up as the gender that they were presumed to be when they were born, by looking to see if there is a penis or not. They have a penis and their parents thought they were a boy, and so do they. Or they have what looks like a girl should have and everyone thinks they are a girl, and they are. This is called being cisgender or cis. We don’t really know how many people are transgender or non-binary, but we think that maybe in every 10 people, 1 or 2 are trans.
Intersex
Some people are born with genitals that don’t look exactly like a penis, testicles or a vulva. This can be confusing and their parents aren’t sure whether they are a boy or a girl. Doctors might want to do blood tests to see if they have the genes XX which usually mean you are a girl, or XY which usually mean you are a boy. This is called being intersex.
Of course, blood tests and genitals don’t make you what you are. Your gender is deep inside you and can’t be measured or decided. It is just who you are.
Pronouns
If you are transgender then what people call you might make you feel uncomfortable. If they use girl names, or call you ‘she’ when actually you are a boy, then this can feel wrong. If they call you by a boy name or say ‘his’ when actually you are a girl, that might feel wrong and make you feel uncomfortable.
If you don’t feel that either boy or girl fits with who you are, some people just feel better when people say ‘they’ or ‘their’ or ‘them’ instead of his/him or she/hers. These are called pronouns. If you want to tell someone your pronouns, you can say ‘Hi, my name is Sarah and my pronouns are she/her.’ or ‘Hello, I’m Jack and my pronouns are he/him.’ or My name is Jo and my pronouns are they/them.’
Social transitioning
Before puberty starts, it is common to experiment with who you are. People do this all the time whether they are trans or cis. For young trans people it is really important to be able to try out different hairstyles, clothes, friends, toys, games, names, pronouns – this helps them to better understand what feels right for them.
When you make a change to your name or pronouns or clothing to better suit your real gender, this is called social transitioning.
Puberty
When puberty starts your body will develop and change depending on whether you have testicles, or whether you ovaries. It is the testicles and ovaries that produce the sex hormones that make your body change one way or the other.
Some trans teenagers find that very scary and they don’t want their bodies to change in that way. Trans girls might feel scared that their voice will break or they will get a beard. Trans boys might worry about periods starting or about their chest developing. Non-binary teenagers might want their bodies to be in the middle somewhere between ‘male’ and ‘female’.
Sexuality v gender
Your gender is who you are and how you want to live in the world, your sexuality is about who you fancy. Sometimes people can get confused by gender and sexuality and think that if you feel like a boy or feel like a girl when they expect you to be the opposite, that maybe you are just gay. But being gay is very different to what gender you are.
Gender dysphoria
Some trans teenagers get very sad about their gender being different, about their body and the way that puberty makes them change. This is called gender dysphoria. If you have gender dysphoria, find someone to talk to who will listen to you and help you.
Experts know that trans people who are believed and supported in their gender development have less gender dysphoria, so it is important to speak up if you are feeling sad or if you are hurting in any way.
Not all transgender people feel sad about their bodies or about their gender. This doesn’t mean they aren’t trans or non-binary. Importantly, your gender is what you say it is. It does not depend on you having any treatment for it.
Treatment
Puberty blockers are medicines that are given by injection or by a medicine which you spray up your nose. They stop puberty from happening, a bit like if you were going to be a late developer. This can give you more time to think about things without having to worry about your body changing. If you stop having the puberty blocker then your own puberty will start again you will soon catch up with your development.
A lot of trans people would rather their body would develop in the way that matches their gender rather than the puberty that they would have naturally. Many trans girls would rather develop breasts and softer skin and hips and curves. Many trans boys would rather not have that but would prefer their voice to break, their bodies to develop bigger and more muscly and to grow a beard.
This can happen by being given ‘gender-affirming hormones’ or ‘cross-sex hormones’ or ‘HRT’. These are all the same thing – they mean ‘the opposite hormones to the one your body would produce’.
Some people just want to stay in the middle and look ‘androgenous’.
Hormones can be given by medicines – pills or patches or gel or injections. They can’t make a penis grow or a vagina develop, but they can make your penis smaller and make your clitoris bigger.
Testosterone hormone is the hormone that makes the body look more masculine – with a deeper voice, bigger muscles and hair on your legs and face.
Oestrogen hormone gives feminine changes, and would make you develop breasts and softer skin, and hips and a waist with more curves.
The decision to take gender affirming hormones is not one that should be made lightly. If you do develop body changes as a result of taking these medications, they may be permanent. Of course, if you are trans, that is exactly what you are aiming for as these medicines can help your body to better fit your true gender and research shows that taking hormones can help trans people have less gender dysphoria.
There can be disadvantages to having these medicines, the biggest one probably being that it may impact your ability to have your own children, made from your own sperm or eggs, when you are older. You may have to stop taking the medicines for a while in order to try and make a baby if that is what you want, and sometimes that might not work at all.
Surgery
Some trans people want to have surgery to remove their penis and use the skin to make a vagina, or to make a penis by using a muscle in your arm. Or maybe you have already gone through puberty and you want to have bigger breasts, or have them removed completely. This is all possible if and when the time is right for you. Doctors are working all the time on new techniques to help transgender people with surgery.
It's good to talk
If you feel that you are transgender or that you might be, then see if you can find someone you trust to talk to. If talking is too difficult write down your feelings, and send them in a letter, email or text. You could even make a video or draw something which shows them how you feel.
Remember, your parents, teachers or friends might not understand what being trans means so they may need some time to get used to the idea. Try watching some YouTube videos together or reading some books, there are lots of materials out there that can help you to share your feelings if you are struggling to do so by yourself. If they don’t understand it yet then keep trying.
Some adults are worried that children will change their mind when puberty starts or later in life. If you aren’t actually transgender, if you are actually a tomboy or gay or just trying out different clothes and toys to see what suits you best, then you may well make different choices at puberty and during the rest of your life. Everyone changes their style throughout their life, that is what growing up and getting older is all about. However if you are trans, you can’t make it go away.
Some people think that young people are persuaded to be trans by their friendship groups, and if they join LGBT groups then they might in some way be “persuaded” to be something other than what they are.
The reality is that you can’t make someone trans any more than you can stop someone from being trans.
There is a lot of horrible talk out there at the moment and this is mainly caused by a lack of understanding. This can make it incredibly hard for young trans people and their families. But if being trans is who you are you should never give up, you are who you are and you are very special.
At School
Some schools are clued up on how to help their trans students and some aren’t. It is important to understand that you are not allowed to be treated differently if you are trans and you should be allowed to use the pronouns, names, changing rooms, toilets, sports that suit you best. If you are having difficulty in school then find someone to talk to who you trust and who understands you, ask them to help you get what you need.
Thriving or Surviving? Raising our ambition for trans children in primary and secondary schools
The Words
Sometimes, we have to try and find the right words to help people understand what being transgender means.
Transgender is a word to describe someone whose gender is different to the one they were told they were when they were born. Also called trans or gender diverse.
Gender affirming means when things are done to help people to live more comfortably in the gender that they are rather than the one they were told they were when they were born.
Gender expression is all about the clothes and make-up and how you talk and move and play. This could be ‘girly’ or ‘butch’ or anywhere in between.
Gender identity is your true gender. Whether you are a boy or a girl or non-binary (neither a boy or a girl, or a mixture of both boy and girl).
Gender nonconformity means when your gender or the way you present yourself feels right to you but is different to what others might expect.
Gender incongruence this is the official word for being transgender and is used on official documents like letters needed for passport changes, or for your doctor’s records.
Gender dysphoria is the word for the sadness, anxiety, distress, pain, anguish, hurt that can be felt by someone who is transgender who is facing difficulties because of it.
Resources for Trans Youth
Helplines
- The Trevor Project (USA) 1-866-488-7386, text & chat options
- Mermaids 0808 801 0400
- Switchboard 0300 330 0630
- Mind infoline 0300 123 3393
- National Trans 24Hr helpline 07527 524034
- Beaumont Society: 01582 412220
- Gires 01372 801554
Books
Books for children up to 10 years old with trans narratives
Additional list of books for children up to 10
Older children and teens
Book list for trans teens
More books for 11-18 year olds:
- Sylvia and Marsha start a Revolution
- Yes, You Are Trans Enough by Mia Violet
- Queer: A Graphic History by Meg-John Barker
- Nothing Ever Happens Here by Sarah Hagger-Holt
- The Strangeworld’s Travel Agency
- Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
Blogs
- Mermaids Q&A to help understand the Bell V Tavi High Court Ruling
- Mermaids follow up Q&A about the legal ruling
Articles
As part of a series of editorials about transgender experiences, The New York Times features the personal stories that reflect the strength, diversity and challenges of the community.
The Human rights Campaign: Understanding the basics for trans youth
Videos
http://www.transpeoplespeak.org
This site has video stories of trans people and allies, of people talking about their experiences.
Trans Youth – Blog
Stay informed with information surrounding trans youth by reading our blog below.
How to Deal With Online Bullying of Transgender People
How Do You Deal With the Bullying of Transgender People Online? The rise of social media over the past twenty years has revolutionised trans and non-binary communities. Once isolated, these groups have been able to connect over the Internet and share their stories and...
Why Gender Reveal Parties Are So Very, Very Dumb
Gender reveal parties have become more dangerous, causing wildfires and even deaths. They also risk getting the gender of the child completely wrong. We peg our noses and jump in to why they’re a bad idea.
How to Inject Testosterone Safely: Injection Guide for AFAB
Testosterone Injections: Safety and Risks for Masculinising AFAB Waiting times for gender-affirming medications in the UK are out of control. Many trans people are filling the gap by self-medicating. This includes testosterone injections for AFAB people....
Sex Education’s Groundbreaking Trans Sex Scene: Abbi & Roman
Spoiler Alert: This article will discuss the plot of Sex Education, season 4. The teen sex comedy-drama series Sex Education started as a show talking about sex and shame, educating teenagers and adults alike on sexual issues that we're often too embarrassed to talk...
My Child’s Puberty Blocker Is Running Out; What Are My Options?
What to Do if Your Child's Puberty Blocker Is Running Out With the UK puberty blocker ban, transgender youth in the UK are likely to be running out of medication. As such, they and their loved ones will likely be looking for the best next steps. We have heard about...
How To Start Transitioning with HRT for MTF & FTM Trans People
Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy: Starting HRT as a Transgender Person For many MTF and FTM trans and non-binary people, taking the step to learn how to start HRT and begin transition is a defining moment. It's the beginning of your transition journey, which may be...
Travelling With Gender-Affirming Medication – UK & World Travelers
With rules varying from country to country, it can be difficult to discern exactly what you need to do (if anything) to prepare for travel with your gender-affirming hormones or other medication. In this post, we aim to provide you with some clarification. First of...
The Age of Consent for Medical Transition in the United Kingdom
Respect for autonomy is a key principle of healthcare ethics.1 This applies to the treatment of children and adolescents as well as adults. Young people aged under 18 are often trusted to make healthcare decisions for themselves with regard to medical treatment,...
Are Puberty Blockers Reversible?
Puberty blockers have proven positive effects, despite well-funded misinformation campaigns attempting to persuade the public otherwise. Some campaigns misleadingly claim that stopping puberty may lead to irreversible side effects. In this article, we break down the...
Trans Youth Factsheets
