Gender Fluidity: Consequences for Youth's mental health and important protective factors
Keywords:
Keywords: Gender Fluidity, youth, mental health, family, schoolAbstract
Introduction: This review aims to delineate and analyze the acceptance of gender fluidity which refers to an individual's gender identity being flexible and not confined to traditional binary gender categories of male and female. Important differences in various terms that may or may not fall under the term gender fluidity such as 'Genderqueer' and 'Non-binary’ etc. will be discussed.
Methods: After presenting the definition, the important differences and the historical background of the concept, data from various studies will follow. The survey data are mainly from the USA, Canada and Greece and cover the period 2009 to 2023. Very often the exact words of people with gender non-conforming are quoted.
Discussion: Evidence is recorded on the mental health consequences for gender fluid young people due to non-acceptance by family, school and friends. Negative mental health consequences for young people lead to a model of minority anxiety about the health of sexual minorities. Instead, attempts of acceptance by the family and school lead to a supportive framework. For example, the Genders & Sexualities Alliances (GSA program operating in Canada will be mentioned and its results will be presented. Finally, there is a reference to the international legislation and that of Greece in particular, and the governmental treatment of gender fluid people.
Conclusion: The negative consequences on mental health as a consequence of the non-acceptance of gender fluidity make evident the need for direct intervention and recognition of young people who want to express themselves in this way.
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