XVI Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association Symposium
17 - 21 August 1999, London

Reflections on "Transsexualism and Sex Reassignment" 1969 -1999

To Treat, not to Treat or How to Meet Possibly Transgendered Individuals

Pirelli, Esther/Benestad, Esben, MD. Family Therapist Grimstad MPAT-Institute, Storgaten 40/42 4890 Grimstad Norway

To materialize inner convictions of gender(s), individuals leave their network to re-establish within interacting systems that can affirm their self-experienced gender. This process of "leaving what one has, to become what one is", has profound costs.

The presenter has been working with professionals and parents concerning children who display unusual gender expressions. The main enquiry has been: How can we be of help to these individuals?

All have been offered a seminar, where participants are suggest to be: all who are significant within the child’s network.

Talking sessions are not offered to children/adolescents under the age of 13, in order not to label or stigmatize individuals who are too young for adult standards of understanding.

The object has been to make it more probable for the growing individual to remain within her/his network, regardless of her/his expression of gender and/or sexual orientation.

Can we construct recommendable modes of action to prevent misfortune for those who may fail to find belonging for their special gender(s) and/or sexual orientation? What shall be our focus of action and attention: The gender disturbed child or the network of the child whose gender disturbs? Are there grounds for both-and solutions?