My daughter told me 2 days ago she wants to be a boy she's 12.
A year ago she was gender fluid, a year before that a lesbian - someone at school had a girl friend, and not long before that she genuinely wanted to be a cat because her friend then wanted to be a cat aswell. She made masks, asked for tails the lot.
Apparently she has wanted to be a boy for a while, her best friend at school identifies as a boy. I have read that lots of children neuro diverse experience gender dysphoria and feel this is what is happening to her, she is also heavily influenced by things she sees online I have now set up age 9 restrictions for her and removed all of social media. I honestly do not know where to turn as I don't want to be seen as transphobic but I just don't get it, she has flitted between being a girly girl and a bit tom boy for her whole life. She loves makeup and eyelashes and nail. It doesn't make sense other than she started puberty at 9 when all the oddities about identity began and secondary school has surrounded her with influences she hasn't been around before.
I'm even thinking of moving her schools, she hates at that school anyway 🙈 in November she was self harming and is now recieving counselling for this.
How do I not be dismissive of how she feels at the moment but also not support it with it causing her to start hurting herself again!