Share your experience related to challenge of gender identity as a student, as an educator or as a professional

I do not have any challenge of gender identity. I will share a story told by my neighbor whose son did not fit into the traditional masculinity.  The boy love to be dressed in female outfits made with bright colors, play with dolls.  The boy was a victim of constant verbal bullying from people who do not understand the identity of the boy, which was even more difficult for the boy to fit in to a society that legalizes only binary gender. At the end to avoid people killing the boy the mother took him away from that country to a safe place. The mother gave him the support needed despite all odds which helped prevented the risk of developing health or psychological issues as a result o discrimination (Simons et al., 2013). She is on hormonal treatment and gradually transitioning into the female she desired.

Simons, L., Schrager, S. M., Clark, L. F., Belzer, M., & Olson, J. (2013). Parental support and mental health among transgender adolescents. The Journal of adolescent health: official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 53(6), 791–793