Let’s be real; unconventional behavior often frightens us – especially parents. When you see your teenage daughter start cutting her hair like Ruby Rose or Sasha Calle, or you see her dress up like a male – it is quite shocking. She is not dressing or acting as “EXPECTED” of a teenage girl – she is a crossdressing teen!
That is when you start to wonder how to accept crossdressing teens. This is a message from one parent to another – it is already a good first step forward if you have decided to ACCEPT crossdressing teens.
We grow up with conventions, and those conventions grow up within us. And when we see our teenage sons or daughters go away from those conventions, we are SHOCKED. But how to handle it as a parent? Let us have a chat about it then.
Crossdressing Teen: What Is Crossdressing?
cross-dressing typically means the act of wearing clothing associated with the opposite gender. cross-dressing does not signify the sexual orientation or gender identity of a person.
It is a kind of self-expression wherein an individual can express their personality and its different shades.
Teenagers crossdress for a varied number of reasons, and the best way to approach this sensitive issue is to show understanding and empathy.
Crossdressing Teen: Why Do Teengages Crossdress?
Parents who live a more conventional life often wonder why teenagers crossdress. Or is it normal to crossdress? Well, teenagers do things on a whim. But cross-dressing is not something someone will do on a whim.
Teenagers love to explore new things. Crossdressing might be a way to explore their sexuality, their gender identity, their comfort, or just trying to manifest the “pretty” in them.
Some teenagers also feel that they were not meant for the sexual attributes they were born with – it is called gender dysphoria. Dysphoria often leads to depression. Teenagers might also commit self-harm due to it.
But cross-dressing often makes teenagers feel like they are themselves. It gives them a sense of embracing themselves and feeling like their own selves.
A Crossdressing Teen Is Not Crossing The Line: Learn & Accept
A majority of parents find it difficult to accept teenage crossdressers or when their own children start to crossdress.
First, they suspect, and they feel confused and shocked when it becomes regular and conspicuous. Here are some easy ways to make the acceptance part easier for them–
1. Do Not Freak Out
As a parent, if you freak out, you will not do any good for yourself or your cross-dressing teenage child. Your reactions of fear should not overshadow the love you have for your child.
Moreover, as a parent, if you freak out, it will leave no room for them to express the emotions they are struggling with. A sudden outburst of emotions might shut them off instead of giving them a place to speak.
2. Learn For Yourself, And Learn For Them
Learning and educating yourself can make the process a lot easier for you. It might seem hard to accept such behavior at first. But, once you start learning about gender expressions, it will become easier for you to cope with the situations. There are many documents and books available about gender identities and their different expressions.
As a parent, it is your responsibility to learn about the gender identities of your crossdressing teens. If your child appears to be transgender, you should not take it as a mental disorder. Transgender, too, can have different sexualities. Some of them are gay, bisexual, homosexual, or bisexual.
As a parent, you should be supportive of the gender identity your child feels comfortable embracing. Additionally, going through research and learning will help you clear your confusion and push forward toward acceptance.
3. Open Room For Them: Let Them Express
When your teenage son or daughter is cross-dressing, they might do it behind your back. They are afraid of your reaction to it. It is also a shock to parents. In such a situation, as a parent, the right step is to give them room for expression.
They might be struggling with mixed emotions and might be looking for ways to express them to you.
As a parent, you can encourage them to speak about it. Let them express what they feel about their emotions, their freedoms, and the identity they are shy or unconfident to embrace.
4. Give Time To Yourself And Your Crossdressing Teens
The transition and the change are hard to deal with for the time being. It is not just the shift in your child’s life. Such a shift happens to everyone in the family of cross-dressing teens. Almost every member of the family starts to see and think of the teen differently once they start cross-dressing.
The acceptance part comes after you educate yourself about crossdressing. You start to see why they do it and how they feel about it. As a parent or a family member of crossdressing teens, you should give yourself time to process the situation. You also should give them time to be comfortable with the sudden reveal. Time can make a lot of awkwardness go away.
5. Encourage And Embrace
You gave yourself time, you learned about crossdressers, and you have also opened a room for your crossdressing teen to talk about it. Now what?
Now you accept it and encourage them. As a parent, you should give your child a space to explore their gender and their identity and let them feel comfortable about expressing who they feel they are on the inside.
Let them explore and embrace their inner identity and be positive about it. Let them wear the dress that makes them feel comfortable.
6. Professional Help Is There: You Just Have To Ask For It
It is a difficult process to accept your crossdressing teens. You will have difficulty coping with their new names, new pronouns, needs, and behaviors. It is just as difficult for your teenage children to go through this transition. But you can make it easier for both of you by asking for help.
There are mental health experts who can help you cope with these situations. Moreover, they can also help create allies for your children in their surroundings to stop them from being bullied or excluded.
Key Takeaways About Accepting A Crossdressing Teen:
- Cross-dressing is a way of self-expression and self-exploration of identity for teenagers.
- Teens could cross-dress for various reasons, such as creativity, a sense of community, and breaking away from gender stereotypes.
- If you want to support your teen through his journey, it will have to include communication, respect, awareness, and an openness to seek professional help if needed.
Accept Your Crossdressing Teen!
The biggest obstacle you may face while navigating these tough times with your cross-dressing teenager is to show support or be understanding and empathetic of your child. It is easy to lose yourself to anger, resentment, and negativity.
But the effects it could have on your child could change the trajectory of your relationship with them forever. There is also no telling what your child could do as the next step after a face-off with you. You do not want to upset an already tumultuous mind.
Having a cross-dressing son or daughter will not be easy. They are going through a difficult time and confusing situation, grappling with their gender identity.
Moreover, as a parent, even if it is shocking, it is your duty to let them feel comfortable talking about it. Additionally, you should encourage them to come out as, when, and how they feel comfortable.
Meanwhile, you can keep an eye on them and monitor if any further pressing incidents occur. If needed, you must get help from professionals. I hope this article was helpful. If you have any questions or want to share your thoughts, leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you.
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