Psychological Impact on Family of Transgender and Non-Conforming (TGNC) Children in Alex Gino’s “George” (Novel)

Navleen Kour

Vol-7,Issue-3,May - June 2022

Author: Navleen Kour

Keywords: Sexual orientation, acceptance, family communication, disguise, identity, self worth.

Abstract: The paper is an attempt to contemplate the youth’s emotional, mental, romantic, and sexual orientation and its psychological influence on the members of the family. In novel, there is a discussion about sexual orientation, preferences for the minority individuals are somewhat or merely focused on the same sex. Writers like Christopher Isherwood, Evelyn Waugh, James Baldwin, Mary Renault have provided us with illuminating experience in their prose style on issues related to LGPTQ. The paper has accentuated the repertoire of qualitative literary review analysis, including qualitative data on the experience of parents of TGNC children. The paper delves with the dilemma of identification of one’s own sex and sense of self worth. The study focuses on the implications for transgender, gay, bisexual and lesbian youth and their family members’ psychological health and well being. Parental rejection and acceptance is the main concern. The importance of parents in the lives of youth is unassailable beginning with the birth of the child and affecting all relationships. Family Communication is an indispensable component when we talk about accepting and disclosing our hidden existence and feelings in front of our family member, whether parents or siblings. The main objective of the paper is to conceptualise the reactions of parents to the disclosure of their child’s identity, when one has been in disguise, ranging from acceptance to rejection: What are the consequences? How are they going to react? How are they going to manage stress level? How are they going to balance and maintain equality between the child and other children? Will they be able to appreciate their child’s heroism and endurance for revealing his/her true identity?

Article Info: Received: 06 May 2022; Received in revised form: 30 May 2022; Accepted: 05 Jun 2022; Available online: 10 Jun 2022

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.73.19