Generational differences

[Beverley Sims]

Definitely,
I have a standard joke, "as long as they don't pat me on the bum they are okay with me".
Meaning that as long as they don't hit on me we all get along fine.
Yes, there is definitely wider acceptance of gender influence these days and it is more open.
People know their limits and keep to them more rigidly too.

[GenieGirl]

We definitely are better prepared and informed now! When I was a teen not too long ago I would have never have known so much before finding out so much info through the web! I would not have ventured out or told anyone at that time, also growing up in a very small minded and ignorant town of the outside world suppressed it even further from my thoughts of ever really being me! Since then most of my friends and aquantances know that I prefer to be female and have hung out with them as a girl.....Although the friends that don't know and have not seen think I look like the bearded lady...if they only saw...but they don't want to and that's ok....I wouldn't want them to be Ã*ttracted to me.,would just make it weird :P

[NicoleScott]

I live in a rather conservative area, but this still hasn't stopped the parents of at least one little boy allowing their son to go to school as 'her'. No one bats an eye and in fact, everyone is very protective of him. His mother has already acknowledged he will either be gay, or transgender, depending on her sons identity. But there has been no moment where she's considered stopping this behavior or telling him he's bad.

Good for these parents and others who acknowledge that sex and gender matters aren't binary, and are allowing children to develop into whatever they are. My parents (especially my father) would never have accepted my crossdressing. What a difference a generation or two has made.

The schools have stopped the obvious gender segregation of girls and boys, and gender neutral language is the norm. The school uniform is even more androgynous than gender specific.

I don't believe the schools are helping things. Instead of recognizing and accepting the diversity, they have instead stuck their heads in the sand and made sex and gender disappear by using gender-neutral language, uniforms, etc. Everyone's the same, there are no boys or girls or anything between. Saying there are no differences isn't the same as accepting differences. Whatever my child might be, he is for sure NOT a purple penguin.

[belindaH]

There is no doubt in my mind that young persons, are much more informed about transgender issues as relates to themselves and to others. This does not just apply to young people either. I learned what I could about myself when I was young, but had little sources of information other than psychiatry, and pornography. This I believe was to my great disadvantage. We learn about ourselves like we learn about anything else. We don't magically know who we are. We have to observe ourselves and learn.