A Conversation with Aiden Key: Understanding Transgender and Gender Diverse Children & Teens

While societal awareness is increasing, many families and educators are understandably at a loss for how to address the needs of transgender and gender diverse children and their families. Beyond these needs, it can feel like uncharted terrain when considering how to address the questions or concerns originating from parents of other children and children themselves. In this presentation, we will explore these and other questions:

• How can a child be transgender or gender diverse? Aren’t they too young to know? Shouldn't they wait until puberty?

• What if this is a phase? Are they just trying to get attention? Influenced by social media?

• How do I talk with children about this in ways that are age-appropriate?

• What does it mean if my child says they are sometimes one gender and sometimes another? Does that make them transgender? Something else?

• What does it mean to be genderqueer, pansexual, asexual, non-binary or…