http://www.theguardian.com/law/2016/mar/10/high-court-transgender-teenager-cut-off-contact-adoptive-parents?CMP=oth_b-aplnews_d-3

..somehow I feel like I shouldn't be sharing this, but oh well.
To summarize: a transgender teen allegedly filed a suit to change his name, and because his parents didn't approve of his transition and kept calling him by his name, he decided to cut off all ties with them.
I personally think that the name your parents gave you is important, even if you're transitioning from male to female or vice versa. What do you people think about this?

For me, it would depend on the name. I have a both gender name so it wouldn't bother me, but I know that a lot of people who change are looking for a new start. New life. Then again, the name your parents gave you are important because of all the memories that are tied with it. It would be a very hard transition in my view, but a necessary one if your parents refuse to ignolage who you are.

I misread the title as "drowns his parents"

Took me a minute to figure out I was wrong haha.

>>3 Same, I was so confused

Well i think that a name is just a name and if you want to change it you have all the rights. Especially if you're not comfortable with the name you currently have. Like i said it's just a name that people call you. And if you want to be called a diffrent name others should recpect that. Just because your parents gave you a specific name doesn't mean that they have the right to stop you from changing it.

Well, If someone was to become trans and would like to go my a different name, they should be able to do that. There are no laws against it, yes, the name your parents give you at birth is important but so is finding out who you really are. People should respect that. I have a friend and she wants to become transgender, right now she can't since she is to young, but in order to change she is already having people call her "Luke" rather than "Lilly". Personally, I wouldn't go as far as disowning my parents but I would ask for the respect I deserve and that would be supporting me and this change, if you can't do that, then I would do the same. Some might not agree with me but this is just my opinion.

Okay, I'm in cultural shock. Or maybe generation gap.
Anyway, I think it's fine if you hate your name or even change it, but don't just throw it away and pretend it never existed.

This is just my opinion, so feel free to disagree... I think it's incredibly stupid and sad that people change their gender. This boy in completely in the wrong. It is distressing that the court took his side.

>>8 I'm glad you recognize that it's just an opinion. Too many people hold it against others for not aligning with their beliefs. The truth is nobody's opinions are "correct". Ever.

Realizing that makes discussion SOOO much easier.

>>8 I'd like to agree with that opinion. I've got no clue why you want to change something you were born with. If it's the case, you can't start judging dark-skinned people for using skin bleachers or light-skinned people for constantly tanning.

If I feel I was 'born a bitch' then are ya gonna accept me as a bitch? Embrace meeee? Are you gonna make a 'bitch-only' bathroom for me to use in public? Are you gonna add me to the LGBT community and change it to "LGBTB" instead? <--To me changing gender sounds just as ridiculous.

Let alone changing the name your parents gave you. Be grateful you even got a name when you were born.

Okay rant finished. Well if you got a hate-filled name such as 'penis' or 'fucktard' or 'bastard', then yeah, go change your name already.

>>8 and >>10 I completely agree with you guys, I'm of the same opinion. I've even heard of cases with children as young as 5 or 6 years of age wanting to change their gender and name.

>>8 >>10 >>11 Wow! this is actually interesting, to hear the other sides of people thoughts. Most people I grow up with most likely aren't from the same generation as you so I find it interesting yet strange to hear your own thoughts on Transgenders.

I think the news board is now a place for interesting discussions.
Keep em going.

>>11
I saw something on the news recently that a kid aged 4 wants to be a trans. Do you think that the environment (parents, media, etc) promoting transgenderism (is that a word?) help create this chaos?
Cause I'm fairly certain that children under at least 8 do not yet have a fixed sense of identity. They shouldn't even know about gender segregation on an intellectual level.

>>12 I pretty much have the mindset of the previous generation (i.e., such as my parents' generation), so I tend to hold unpopular beliefs and opinions regarding LGBT+ (well I assume that >>8 >>10 and mine are unpopular or at least controversial).

I just find it sad that people aren't happy the way they are born -- grateful and thankful they are born healthy without defects or diseases -- or happy with the name they were given. Or, in this boy's case, happy his parents actually love him unlike other unfortunate people in the world.

>>13 And yes, my problem is, with children 5-6 years old, or even in their early teens, is that they still don't know what they want. This short documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIuxIq9UH4c shows how undeveloped children's thinking is, that their decisions "now" may not be thought out well, and that they may possibly change their minds in the future. (Of course, we only see so much as the documentary shows us, so we draw our conclusions from possibly incomplete or even biased evidence.)

I think the only way they could possibly even learn about gender segregation is through their parents, society, things they see and learn from school, TV, etc. A child as young as 4 would have no idea what it even means to be transgender, and in fact, I doubt would even have gender dysphoria. In my opinion, it's the environment that promotes development of gender dysphoria, what the children are exposed to.

And I love having interesting and intelligent discussions like this, yes to real conversation!

>>14 True, I'm not really going to argue with you since my opinion is mine. Truthfully I wouldn't really allow my 4 year old to become transgender unless he/she truly shows that they want it and it's not something that just last a day because their friend is doing it, the same would go for my teenage, since they understand their feelings better than I do and they can feel when something just isnt right. I'm not saying I would go out and get them a sex change with a drop of a hat but if its something they want and proves it not only going to last a week, i would fully support my child, but that is just how I was raised.

On a side note, I've read many trans children / teen coming out in the news, and here's what makes it dubious: THEIR STATEMENTS ARE SCRIPTED.
I mean, like really. There's not a hint of deeply personal commitments and they made it sound just like they took that out of the same 'guideline for coming out'

any thoughts on that?

>>15 Yes, I can't argue since our opinions differ :) I don't know how I'd react TBH. And how long is "long enough" to be sure that's what they want? One year? Five years? It's difficult. If you watched the link I gave, you can see some of the difficulties and questions that come with having a trans child. But my opinion still stands that a child as young as that does not possess the intellectual level required to properly make these kinds of decisions.

>>17 Maybe not and I would wait till there teens before taking action, but before that I would educate them on what it means to be transgender, i want my children to be happy and I don't want to be the reason they feel out of place in the world, and sorry I can't really want it. I had to do something

>>16 I agree. In general, it all sounds the same, follows the same typical "pattern," and comes off as insincere and fake. Kind of like the overused bereavement (is that what it's called?) statements made by politicians.

>>16 I do also agree but that wouldn't stop me from at least making sure my child is happy in the world, I rather have a transgender child rather than a depressed and suidice one. I say this because my friend Luke, was also put in this position last year.

I also know a trans person, although she decided to keep it a secret and not undergo any transition (shes 20 now, and no, she's not pretending). Which is why, seeing her and seeing the kids on the news just made me think: did they actually give it many years of thinking, or are they just going along with the flow?

>>21 The person you know probably did give it years of thought (seeing they're an adult) and decided to only "go with the flow" by keeping it secret from others who can't understand.

The only thing arguable to me is age. Teenagers are never comfortable with their body, and certainly have a lot to figure out.

I'm honestly surprised by some of these responses. But as stated before, these are all of our opinions, and we are entitled to them.

>>22
Well, why not. We're hardly able to talk like this irl without someone calling us sexist and suing us.

When I said going with the flow, I was talking about the teens. The person I know doesn't bpther going with the flow (how do you think she became my friend in the forst place?). She decided not because she thinks that even if she did physically become a woman, it wouldn't really change anything because let's just say that both of us don't really socialize. That and other economic reasons.

Which is why, teenagers claiming to be abused like this and that on the media when that's the treatment my pal will have to endure everyday from now on just makes me want to bully them a Teeny tiny little bit. Yawn.

And that's about the only thing I'll agree upon. Teens don't know their own bodies yet. They're still figuring it out. But it's also important for the parents to understand that too. Whether its a phase or not, nobody can know for sure.

On another note I just want to mention the fact that these are the person's adoptive parents, which kinda throws a wrench into the "keeping the name your parents gave you" arguement.

>>22 It's each individual's choice in the end, our opinions and beliefs shouldn't matter to them. It's not my business if someone wants to become trans or whatever else. I may disagree with it, but I don't have the right to stop someone from doing what makes them happy; all I can give is my opinion and they can absolutely dismiss/ignore it. As long as opinions are stated respectfully, of course.

>>23 It's nice to be able to voice opinions and have a civil discussion, especially about these kinds of topics, so I'm glad we've managed to do this so far.

>>24
Maybe the biological parents died in a tragic accident, who knows.
...I've watched too many dramas.

Y'know what? I've decided the headline twisted this into a story about transgender.

Certain parts the article made me feel like it's mostly just a teenage addict who hates their over protective parents.

I'm oretty sure we stopped talking about the actual article from >>6
Can I rename this the trans people discussion thread?

>>27 Never (entirely) trust the media after all.

16 yr old that has overdosed twice and said if they get sent to the hospital, not to tell their parents.

Sounds like half the kids I went to highschool with.

I don't think there's anything too wrong with changing your name. You don't choose who your parents are so separating yourself from them to find and become your own person I think is a good thing. However, this has to do with being transgender and hate and stuff so it's a very different situation, and I don't really have much to say on the topic

"His parents accepted that they should not receive any medical information, but in the hope that they would one day be reconciled they asked the court in London to allow them to receive quarterly updates on PD’s life and welfare. But PD, who has taken two overdoses and now lives with foster carers, did not agree, said the judge. So strongly held were his views that he did not even want his parents notified if he needed emergency medical treatment."

This article made me angry. Assuming this happened the way that article makes it sound, and that's a big assumption, this is heartbreaking. These people adopted and raised a kid for 10 years, and now because they're having some trouble adapting to him being, well, more or less the opposite sex - a pretty big fucking change, mind you - he now wants nothing to do with them? For someone who supposedly feels so angry and misunderstood, he doesn't seem to have a lot of empathy.

I don't particularly understand gender dysphoria, and you'd hope that they'd adapt at some point - but surely your (seemingly loving) family calling you by the name they've always fucking called you isn't so mentally scarring that you have to completely cut them out of your life? I mean, shit, I'd understand if they were acting incredibly intolerant, but by the sound of it they haven't actually rejected him, and in fact want to be actively involved in his life.

But, uh, he's 16. I was a bitch and hated my parents when I was 16 too. Not to the point of point of disowning them, though.

>>32
Thank you for pointing out another reason for me to get jealous.
Now is it just me, or are the teens in America sooooooo spoiled these days?
I mean, they think they can get away with throwing away their family just because the legal system is convenient. Can't think of fostering system as completely pleasant, but back in my country throwing your family has the consequences of starving on the streets.

>>33 Actually, this sounds more like it happened in the U.K.

>>34
Gah, my bias showing up. Let me fix that.
'Western countries with functional legal system'

>>34 I do often stereotype U.K teens as being parent bashers. Note the word stereotype.

I'm still yet to come across a teen who're grateful for their parents/ life irl anyway.

>>36 *teen who is

>>37 Hahahaha, wow.

>>36 You are looking in all the wrong places then.

>>39 No doubt about that, but I like to find light where there's darkness. No point tryna find light in....light(?).

>>40 if you're already in the darkness then of course you'd find teenagers who claim to dislike their parents

Honestly i beleive she/he has the right to do so. After all. Think of it my way for a moment. My parents named me after my grate unckle who died protecting his fellow brothers in arms from a grenade. I didnt like that. Im not that kind of guy. Im not that kind of person. Sorry but if theres a grenade im gonna pick it up and throw it back. Not lay down on it and wait 4 seconds. Anyway. When i turned 12 i told my parents about this delema, they understood and gave me free reign for a new name of my choosing. The one condition was for me to take several realistic names into consideration over a months time. So it went from nathan to yosef. I was grateful and proud of my new name. Though it is sad how these parents dont support there blood because of gender. Its like gKing back the promises you gave your wife or husband on wether it would be a boy or girl and not taking consideration for the possability for both. So sad indeed.