Many parents would support transgender teen's transition

(HealthDay)—More than half of U.S. adults surveyed would be supportive if they had a teenage child who wanted to transition to the opposite gender, according to a Harris Poll commissioned by the American Osteopathic Association.

Conducted in June of this year, 2,192 adults participated in the online survey. Fifty-three percent of the respondents said they would support their transgender child's wishes. Women, college graduates, and Northeast residents were slightly more likely than others to support young people who made this choice.

"Trans children are living in a body that doesn't match how they view themselves. To address the 'dysphoria,' some may wish to transition socially or to medically transition through gender-confirmation surgery and/or hormone treatment," Laura Arrowsmith, D.O., a transgender specialist in Oklahoma City, said in an association news release. Parents "have a significant role in raising transgender kids. 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."

Parents who are struggling with accepting their transgender children often find support groups are the turning point, Arrowsmith said. After meeting other parents and seeing children who have transitioned, they are more likely to be supportive, she noted.