3, 4 and 5-year-olds
Children of this age are unlikely to ask this question. If you are a transgender parent, or perhaps your child has an older trans sibling, they may ask. In this circumstance it is best for the family to think about how they talk about their family.
6, 7 and 8-year-olds
9 and 10-year-olds
11 and 12 year-olds
Children of this age will hear the term used and may seek a response to the question.
If a person describes themselves as transgender (sometimes people just say trans) they feel that the sex they were born – so being a boy or being a girl – doesn’t match how they feel inside. So, a transgender woman lives as a woman today but was born a boy. A transgender man lives as a man today but was born a girl.
Every one of us is born unique and special, this is what makes us all so interesting. It’s important that we don’t say mean things to someone just because they are transgender.
13, 14 and 15 year-olds
16, 17 and 18 year-olds
If a person describes themselves as transgender (sometimes people just say trans) they feel that the sex they were born doesn’t match how they feel inside. So, a transgender woman lives as a woman today but was born a boy. A transgender man lives as a man today but was born a girl.
Transphobia is a kind of prejudice and discrimination. It is when someone who is transgender is put down or hurt or discriminated against just because they are transgender. Every one of us is born unique and special, this is what makes us all so interesting. It’s important that we don’t say mean things or discriminate against someone just because they are transgender.
If you are having more chats on this topic you may find it helpful to look at Talking About how people talk about gender, gender identity, equality and rights for trans people (13, 14 and 15 year olds) and Talking About how people talk about gender, gender identity, equality and rights for trans people (16, 17 and 18 year olds).