The entire team would like to congratulate our Head of Educational Services, Valeria Kirichenko, for the publication of her Master's thesis entitled : « Love and acceptance, that’s all it comes down to » : les perspectives des enfants et des parents sur les expériences de transition des enfants trans prépubères ayant accès à des cliniques transaffirmatives au Canada.✨📚✨
Abstract
In recent years, several debates around social transitions in early childhood have emerged from public, clinical and scientific spheres. However, little has been published about the children’s transition experiences, particularly from their perspectives. Thus, this research project aims to explore the transition experiences of trans prepubertal children who have access to gender- affirming clinics in Canada from their and their parents’ perspectives. Using data extracted from a larger study conducted by Annie Pullen Sansfaçon and several other co-investigators in Canada, we analysed eight (N=8) semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted with four trans prepubertal children and their parents in a gender-affirming clinical setting. Data analysis was based on Axel Honneth’s recognition theory as well as on thematic analysis (TA). We identified five themes that describe the transition experiences of the trans prepubertal children in our sample: (1) revealing oneself to their parents by simply being themselves; (2) the transition process outside of the home: a process of negotiation and accompaniment; (3) school as the main site of tensions; (4) asserting oneself through the transition process: repercussions of obstacles and positive outcomes; and (5) looking ahead into the future: the medical transition. Understanding these transition experiences allows us to better frame the interventions of professionals in a context of affirming gender identities and expressions, accompanying families and defending children’s rights in different institutions.