Education about gender development predicts support for transgender youth’s gender identity autonomy

Abstract

Most adults have limited understanding of child development, yet their perceptions of development influence their decisions about whether to support children’s autonomy—such as support for autonomy-limiting anti-transgender legislation. This work found that adult participants believe gender develops later for transgender youth than cisgender youth, predicting lower support for children’s autonomy to determine their gender identity, and greater support for anti-transgender legislation (Study 1; N = 200). However, learning about similarities in the development of transgender children and cisgender children decreased this tendency. This predicted greater support for children’s autonomy in determining their gender identity, which was associated with reduced support for anti-transgender legislation in a large, nationally representative sample (Study 2; N = 1552), and increased donations to an organization supporting the rights of transgender youth (Study 3; N = 174). Results highlight the importance of adults’ beliefs about gender development in transgender youth to understand their support for the autonomy and rights of transgender youth. This study found adults believed transgender youth develop gender identity later relative to cisgender youth. This belief was linked to support for gender autonomy-limiting policies. An intervention regarding gender development reduced this belief, and increased support for gender autonomy.