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Cindy Holmes
I am an interdisciplinary scholar working in the fields of Social Work, Public Health, Sociology, and Human Geography, with a passion and lifelong commitment to community-engaged learning, teaching and research. I have specific expertise in critical social theory and equity studies including Gender and Sexuality Studies, Indigenous Studies, and Critical Race Studies.
I am currently an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Victoria.
My scholarship and approach to teaching is embedded in over 25 years community-based experience working in the areas of community engagement and development, social justice and equity education, social work, health promotion, policy analysis, and participatory action research.
I am currently an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Victoria.
My scholarship and approach to teaching is embedded in over 25 years community-based experience working in the areas of community engagement and development, social justice and equity education, social work, health promotion, policy analysis, and participatory action research.
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Methods: A critical review methodology is employed to systematically interpret four frequently-cited studies that sought to document identity outcomes for gender-nonconforming children (often referred to as " desistance " research).
Results: Methodological, theoretical, ethical, and interpretive concerns regarding four " desistance " studies are presented. The authors clarify the historical and clinical contexts within which these studies were conducted to deconstruct assumptions in interpretations of the results. The discussion makes distinctions between the specific evidence provided by these studies versus the assumptions that have shaped recommendations for care. The affirmative model is presented as a way to move away from the question of, " How should children's gender identities develop over time? " toward a more useful question: " How should children best be supported as their gender identity develops? "
Conclusion: The tethering of childhood gender diversity to the framework of " desistance " or " persistence " has stifled advancements in our understanding of children's gender in all its complexity. These follow-up studies fall short in helping us understand what children need. As work begins on the 8th version of the Standards of Care by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, we call for a more inclusive conceptual framework that takes children's voices seriously. Listening to children's experiences will enable a more comprehensive understanding of the needs of gender-nonconforming children and provide guidance to scientific and lay communities.
Methods: A critical review methodology is employed to systematically interpret four frequently-cited studies that sought to document identity outcomes for gender-nonconforming children (often referred to as " desistance " research).
Results: Methodological, theoretical, ethical, and interpretive concerns regarding four " desistance " studies are presented. The authors clarify the historical and clinical contexts within which these studies were conducted to deconstruct assumptions in interpretations of the results. The discussion makes distinctions between the specific evidence provided by these studies versus the assumptions that have shaped recommendations for care. The affirmative model is presented as a way to move away from the question of, " How should children's gender identities develop over time? " toward a more useful question: " How should children best be supported as their gender identity develops? "
Conclusion: The tethering of childhood gender diversity to the framework of " desistance " or " persistence " has stifled advancements in our understanding of children's gender in all its complexity. These follow-up studies fall short in helping us understand what children need. As work begins on the 8th version of the Standards of Care by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, we call for a more inclusive conceptual framework that takes children's voices seriously. Listening to children's experiences will enable a more comprehensive understanding of the needs of gender-nonconforming children and provide guidance to scientific and lay communities.