Customer Reviews

Gender Identity Disorder And Psychosexual Problems In Children And adolescents

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It is a blessing that we live in an age where the subject of gender identity disorder can be discussed in such an intelligent and scholarly manner. It is a blessing because there are many individuals who suffer from said disorder and often go untreated. Those who are unhappy and seeking enlightenment on the topic of gender identity would benefit tremendously from this work, which offers a glimpse of hope in the form of the unbiased compassion of authors Zucker and Bradley. This is not, I repeat not a work to be feared and distrusted. It is a book of hope for many.

Written by two world-renowned authorities on childhood gender conflicts, this book is a well-researched reference for counselors, teachers, therapists and other trained professionals whose clients include homosexual adolescents and pre-homosexual children. Though somewhat technical, Zucker and Bradley's work is also recommended to parents and guardians whose children are struggling with gender-related difficulties. The authors provide case studies, a thoughtful discussion of ethical issues, and an exhaustive compilation of clinical and empirical research data.
This book thoroughly investigates why some children, as early as age 2, become unhappy with their biological genders and begin to identify with the opposite sex. If left untreated, these children often become gay, lesbian, bisexual or transsexual in later life. Zucker and Bradley suggest a different outcome is possible when appropriate mental health services are provided at an early age. When children are instilled with self-esteem that includes acceptance of their genetic identities, gender conflicts tend to dissipate, the likelihood of future homosexuality diminishes, and the child's overall well-being is enhanced.
Informative and well written, this book deals with a sensitive subject in a fair, balanced, scientifically objective and politically neutral manner. I recommend it to anyone whose policies and choices affect children in general and gender dysphoric children in particular.

This is an excellent sourcebook which makes a valiant attempt to present the related issues in a fair manner. For those of us who encounter GID persons in our work, this piece of scholarship offers some guideposts in an ethically, dilemma-ridden, area of clinical practice. These authors thrust themselves into the thick of it and lay out the facts behind each argument they present. I learned a tremendous amount from reading this book. I disagree with the prior writer who stated that the authors advocate ways of reducing the likelihood of homosexuality as in the opening chapter they cite Freud's admonition to theorists who would only look at homosexuality as the only [] oreintation in need of examination. The tone of the authors reflects their belief that being heterosexual is easier in this culture and that parents usually want what is going to make their childrens' lives easier. This book does not simply accept homophobic hateful "scholarship" as truth, but attempts to maximize the readers access to different ways of understanding the subject topic.

Even four years after publication this text is a very fine achievement. Very thorough, extremely well referenced, and not extremist in the midst of the various scholarly debates which exist. There do not seem to be major papers since which greatly alter the conclusions.

I AM A TRANSEXUAL, and here's what I think of this book:

It's garbage. It's bigoted. It has an agenda that is very much anti-trans. I don't want a cure...and we don't need a cure. Why can't clinicians just learn to understand that? Treatment later is okay...because hormones of the opposite sex can only be procured through prescription medications. But I mean, there is no cure for being transsexual.

But there can be healing and treatment, once the patient is diagnosed with GID. But like most transsexuals I know, I am not ashamed of what I am.

I don't see how any professional could take on some sort of arrogant belief that they understand us better than we understand ourselves. Any profesional who tries to tackle the condition with the approach of this book is going to lose the patient, if that patient understands themselves at all.

The proper way to treat gender based disorders is to diagnose them as early (in age) as possible, find out whether they want to transition or not, and if they do, help them do it. In the case of transsexuals, transitioning as early in life as possible, and being treated with hormone therapies of the opposite sex during puberty would produce the absolute best results. I suppose you could think of that as the "cure."

Don't waste your money on this book. Instead, find books written by transsexuals and go read those. See how transsexuals actually think...because trust me, this book is oblivious to how we really do see things. And if the authors didn't have a clue how can you expect it to teach clinicians who want to work in this field of study? It can't!

I can't believe a professional would write this book and expect it to help clinicians treat and help transsexuals. I'm laughing and in tears. Oh, and by the way, sexual orientation has nothing to do with gender identity. So clinicians...get a clue on that matter. Seriously. I could go on and on about what would make this field of research more effective and better off, but I'll save my breath for now. It's just a review afterall.

As a licensed psychotherapist and college professor who teaches classes in Multicuralism, Gender, Human Sexuality, and the DSM, I find it interesting that Amazon would link this book with Joseph Nicolosi's "Curing Homosexuality." Nicolosi is the darling of the Neocon religious right, who's "research" on the "cure" has been disavowed by countless organizations including the APA. GID is a leftover from the outdated, and no longer recognized "pathology" of homosexuality. Further, GID when diagnosed in children is somewhat predictive of homosexuality, yet the diagnosis is only given to adults who are transexual. Odd, two very different criteria sets for the same diagnosis. Confusion concerning sexual orientation is now at the back of the DSM-IV TR (pg. 741) under "Identity Problem". This confusion is lumped with other such earth-shattering confusions as career choice, friendship patterns, and group loyalities. Unless you are a fundamentalist looking for information to further your own agenda, look elsewhere. Do a google search for Dr. Gregory Herek the foremost researcher on homosexuality in the United States, read "Sissies & Tomboys, Gender Conformity & Homosexual Childhood", and "Sexual Conversion Therapy, Ethical, Clinical and Research Perspectives." The previous clinician quotes the authors in stating that it is "easier" being heterosexual in the United States, and that this "ease" is what most parents want for their children. In addition I also hope that parents will want an authentic life for their children, not one of shame due to overt attempts to change a culturally highly rigid, and narrowly defined set of beliefs surrounding gender conformity. If you don't have the time to read, then go rent "Billy Elliot" it speaks volumes more than this book!

How can anyone in the contemporary psycology comunity accept this homophobic and regressive treatment of homosexuality in youths. It is this kind of essentialist, gender role status quo promoting dogma which causes many parent to forcibly institutionalise sane children. Many youths, probally over hundreds have been labled as having "Gender Identity Disorder" simply for refusing to abide to our cultures (or their parents) gender norms. While institutionalised they are exposed to traumatic incidents as quacks try to train them to be straight (or act straight that is). This is no less than an attrocity commited in the name of homophobia and the perpetuation of an increasingly inaccurate and unacceptable gender status quo. Academics of all fields from Anthropology to Sociology, History, Biology and Psycology are comming to realize that gender is merely a western social construct. It exists only in terms of the society that creats it. The academic fields of Queer Theory and Gender Studies now function primarily on this premis and the author of this backward tract seems to have vollunteered to miss the boat in the name or bigotry and child abuse. I would suggest that any one with a serious loving concern for a child with "Gender Identity Sydrom" first consider his or her own homophobia before puting the child in psyciatric care. It is the homophobes and gender barrier defenders that need therepy, not young homosexual or transgendered children. I personally have known many homosexual and transgendered youths whose parents used Mental Instituations as dumping grounds for children who they just didn't understand. These kids were sane untill they were forced into assylum. From Sexologist Havelock Ellis on, it is a known and proven fact that all of the psycological problems commonly associated with homosexuals are caused by other people's hatefull treatment of them and not by any congenital deffect of the homosexual mind. If you seek wisdom and truely love and care about the fate of children every where go else were for knowlege. All that is to be found here is inacurate, bigoted and dangerous rhetoric.