The document discusses the importance of family support for transgender youth and the impact of family rejection on their mental health. It highlights the role of parenting, societal policies, and community acceptance in fostering resilience among these youth. Additionally, it emphasizes strategies for reconciliation and redefining parent-child relationships in the context of ambiguous loss.

1. FD SMS icons
1
https://learn.extension.org/events/3009
This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Office of Military
Family Readiness Policy, U.S. Department of Defense under Award Number 2015-48770-24368.
TRANSforming Conversations: Addressing Needs
of Transgender Youth and Their Families

2. Connecting military family service providers
and Cooperative Extension professionals to research
and to each other through engaging online learning opportunities
militaryfamilies.extension.org
MFLN Intro
Sign up for webinar email notifications at militaryfamilies.extension.org/webinars

3. Today’s Presenter
3
Jenifer McGuire, PhD
• Associate Professor of Family Social Science
at University of Minnesota
• Areas of interest include: parent relationships
for sexual and gender minority youth, parent
socialization of adolescent sexuality, well-being
of sexual and gender minority youth, and
parenting across family transitions
• Member of Parent’s Forever and a developing
coalition for Sexual and Gender (SGM) youth
well-being

4. What Do We Know?
4
Society
Policy
Community
Family, Friends,
Neighbors
Child

5. Mediators
• Something is considered a mediator to the
extent that it accounts for the relationship
between a predictor (being Trans) and an
outcome (anxiety, depression, etc.)
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6. Trans Youth-Mediators
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Policy
Family, Friends,
Neighbors

7. Mediator-Parenting
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Child
Anxiety Depression
Suicide
Supportive Parenting
School Bullying Teasing

8. Mediator-Parenting
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Child
Anxiety Depression
Suicide
Supportive Parenting
School Bullying Teasing

9. Mediator-Parenting
9
Child
Anxiety Depression
Suicide
Supportive Parenting
School Bullying Teasing

10. Mediator-Policies
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Homeless Shelters
Harassment
Assault
Social Transition Bathrooms
Inclusive School Policies
Child
Anxiety
Self Esteem
Academics
Depression

11. Mediator-Policies
11
Homeless Shelters
Harassment
Assault
Social Transition
Bathrooms
Inclusive School Policies
Child
Anxiety
Self Esteem
Academics
Depression

12. Mediator-Policies
12
Homeless Shelters
Harassment
Assault
Social Transition
Bathrooms
Inclusive School Policies
Child
Anxiety
Self Esteem
Academics
Depression

13. Family Relationships are Key
13
https://pixabay.com/en/key-heart-love-for-two-marry-2094778/

14. Supporting Family Acceptance and
Promoting Resilience
• Family rejection is harmful
(Minter, 2012; Ryan, Huebner, Diaz, Sanchez,
2009)
• Parent support linked to better outcomes
(Soleman, et al., 2013, Brill and Pepper, 2008)
• Being forced out of the home linked to
additional risks for transgender youth
(Koken, Bimbi, Parsons, 2009; Grossman &
D’Augelli, 2006)
• Loss associated with anxiety and
depression
(Budge, Adelson, and Howard, 2013)
14
https://pixabay.com/en/desperate-sad-depressed-cry-2100307/

15. Ambiguous Loss
• Psychological change (loss)
• Physical change (loss)
• Ambiguous nature of one
without the other
• View of loss linked to
cisnormative societal
expectations
• Relational Rupture
• Resiliency
15
https://pixabay.com/en/question-mark-mind-colorful-1456854/

16. Family Contexts
• Most gender variant youth are born to
cisgender, heterosexual parents (who
may have little understanding of gender
variance)
• Support all parents in supporting their
children
• Parents also navigate relations with
extended family members and siblings
• Support family members in developing
acceptance
• How to support Trans* persons who may
be struggling with family acceptance
16
https://pixabay.com/en/watercolor-painting-colorful-color-1996538/

17. Psychological Change
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Flickr[Jeffrey Smith, May 8, 2010, CCO]
Flickr[Stephen Weppler, July 3, 2011, CCO]
Flickr[Tim Evanson, June 9, 2012, CCO

18. Physical Change
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https://lexiecannes.com/2013/06/19/hormone-blockers-safe-for-transgender-kids-says-new-study/

19. One Without the Other
• Someone may look different but seem the same inside
• Someone may look sort of the same but seem
psychologically changed –relieved
• “I felt like I got my kid back”
19
https://pixabay.com/en/freedom-sky-hands-handcuffs-clouds-1886402/

20. Relational Rupture
• Relations are changed with
an ambiguous loss
• Relating with a new gender
schema
• Loss of attachments due to
family rejection
20
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/11/20/yes-we-still-need-a-transgender-day-of-remembrance-and-resilience.html
https://pixabay.com/en/heart-broken-heart-separation-1966018/

21. Relationship “Break”
• Parental support is not stagnant
• Can be a break in instrumental or emotional
support
• Must be at least partially related to the
gender expression/identity of the participant
• Half (n=39) reported a break
21http://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/2015/07/transgender-youths-show-hardship-resilience/#5
https://pixabay.com/en/rope-nature-dew-736456/

22. When Relationships Rupture
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0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Depression
Self-harm/mutilation
Suicidal ideation
Drugs
Drugs and driving
Transactional sex
Suicide attempts
MH Hospitalization
Physical fights
Carrying a weapon
Yes No

23. Resiliency
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https://pixabay.com/en/wall-brick-urban-colors-gay-1345566/
An ambiguous loss frame provides a blueprint for
developing resilient responses including:
-Negotiating ambivalence
-Finding pathways to reconciliation
-Redefining parent child roles

24. Negotiating Ambivalence
• Pathways to
reconciliation
• Redefining parent-child
roles
24
https://pixabay.com/en/walking-feet-gravel-path-shoes-349991/

25. Pathways to Reconciliation
• Thwarted attempts to
reconcile
• Life events
• Extended family
involvement
25
https://pixabay.com/en/adult-blur-close-up-dawn-fall-1868652/

26. Redefining Parent/Child Roles
• Change in power dynamics
• Coming to terms with
mental illness
26
https://pixabay.com/en/silhouette-father-and-son-sundown-1082129/

27. Ambiguous Loss as a Frame
• Provides language for
common narratives
• Supports reconciliation
and meaning making
• Suggests pathways
towards resilience
• Allows for continuing
development
27
https://pixabay.com/en/blurry-street-people-city-travel-2073696/

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29. MFLN Intro
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30. Evaluation and
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31. Family Development Upcoming
Event
Gray Matters: Understanding Traumatic
Brain Injury’s Impact on Families
• Date: May 18, 2017
• Time: 11:00am Eastern
• Location: https://learn.extension.org/events/3010
For more information on MFLN Family Development, go to:
https://militaryfamilies.extension.org/family-development
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32. militaryfamilies.extension.org/webinars
32This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Office of Military Family
Readiness Policy, U.S. Department of Defense under Award Number 2015-48770-24368.