The Influence of Psychiatric and Legal Discourses on Parents of Gender-Nonconforming Children and Trans Youths in Spain

Abstract

Abstract In recent years there has been an increasing interest in transgender issues in Spain, influenced by the growing acceptance of sexual minorities and gender equality. Despite growing media attention, new legislation allowing name and sex changes in all documents, and budding literature, progress in the areas of family relationships and assistance to children and youths is insufficient. For instance, the links between family responses and social change are understudied. Interviewing 12 parents and 8 education, health, and social work professionals provides a closer look into the situation of gender-nonconforming children and trans youths, and highlights families' and professionals' mutual influence and the journey narratives take between them. These families face shock and uncertainty and lack assistance and information, which makes them feel isolated from the external world and alone, as in having no peers or social networks of other parents going through the same experiences. In addition, parents often report feeling guilty. They seek assistance from professionals who often also feel they lack sufficient training and are reluctant to work with these youths, fearing children may grow up to be gay instead of transgender, or may not show gender nonconformity in their adult life. KEYWORDS: gender-nonconforming childrentrans youthsparentsprofessionalsSpain Acknowledgments This article was produced with the support of two projects: HERMES European Project (2011–2013), Fieldwork at the Grassroots Level with the Involvement of Children, Young People, and Women, funded by the Daphne III Programme of the European Commission. It has also been supported by the Spanish research project DER 2012-34320, "The Boundaries of Law in Time of Crisis: Excluded Groups" (2013–2015), directed by Patricia Laurenzo Copello. I am extremely grateful to the professionals in the public service for homosexual and transgender people in Madrid, Ana Gómez, Lola Martín, and Manuel Ródenas, who have made this research possible and who are generously helping many families and GLBT individuals. Notes 1. In Spanish, the term transsexual is broadly used without making a distinction between pre- or post-operative status, whereas this distinction is relevant in other contexts. We must also note that in countries of Anglo-Saxon influence as well as Latin America, the term transgender, as enunciated by Feinberg (Citation1992), is widely used. Transgender intends to avoid this distinction regarding transition and surgery, and has different meanings and contexts (Hausman, Citation1995; Nieto Piñeroba, Citation1998; Valentine, 2007). However, this term has not had the same predicament in Spain. Taking these distinctions into account, I will use the English term transgender when referring to the term transsexual as used in Spanish (Platero, Citation2011). 2. See 1954 Slackers and Delinquents Act (Ley de Vagos y Delincuentes, 194) and 1970 Social Danger and Rehabilitation Act (Ley de Peligrosidad y Rehabilitación Social, 1970). 3. Ley Orgánica 10/1995, November 23, del Código Penal. BOE, November 24, pp. 33987–34058. 4. Navarrean 12/2009 Act, November 19, on nondiscrimination on the grounds of gender identity and the recognition of the rights of transgender people. BOE, December 22, pp. 108177–108187. 5. Basque 14/2012 Act, June 28, on nondiscrimination on the grounds of gender identity and recognition of the rights of transgender people. BOE, July 19, pp. 51730–51739. 6. Público/Efe (2010). Elcolectivotransexualpidequelosmenorescambiendesexosinpermisojudicial (Transgender organizations demand the minors' access to gender reasignment without court permission). Publico, January 12, 2010. 7. It is relevant how the age of consent is different in every country. For instance, in Spain the sexual age of consent is 13, marriage is possible at 14, work is allowed at 16 as well as criminal responsibility, but adulthood starts at 18. The current discussion (2013) over sexual age of consent if pushing for a more conservative approach, suggesting the age of 16 in line with the general backlash in sexual rights. 8. Currently, there is no national "Gender Identity Unit," and the regions have uneven service provision. Since June 2012 gender reassignment surgery has been limited due to austerity cuts (Corcuera, Citation2012). 9. In 2010, a number of professional and activist organizations were consulted by the government in search for a common ground standard that could homogenize treatments nationally (interview with Marina de la Hermosa, resident psychiatrist at the Madrid Gender Identity Disorder Unit, December 30, 2012). 10. Often parents use mixed pronouns; in the translation this mixture is respected. 11. I would like to thank David Berná for this interview. 12. PCPI stands for "Programas de Cualificación Profesional Inicial" (Initial Professional Qualification Program). These programs address student diversity and are aimed at 15- to 16-year-olds who do not meet mainstream standards. In Spain education is free and mandatory for 6- to 16-year-olds. This program was designed as an alternative for those that drop out of regular courses.