Exclusive Preview: The Story of a Transgender Child

The revelation that a transgender child is attending public school in Douglas County has been the subject of several news stories and widespread speculation over the past few weeks. While the story has raised plenty of questions, there has been precious little insight into why a pre-teen questions his gender and how a family responds.

Nearly three years ago, 5280 Executive Editor Maximillian Potter began researching transgender youth in the Denver area. He has talked to families and he has talked to the experts who care for them. For much of that time, he has been a first-hand witness to a Boulder County family as it struggled with an unimaginable dilemma, a seven-year-old son in transition from boy to girl.

Potter’s in-depth report, “Second Nature,” is the product of unprecedented access to that family and their doctors. It will be published in 5280’s March issue, which goes on sale next Friday. Hoping to dispel many of the misconceptions being voiced in the current debate, we’ve taken the unusual step of posting the full text of the story to 5280.com early. It’s a story that will likely challenge your assumptions about gender identity and remind you that a parent’s love is unconditional.

“Second Nature: The Story of a Local Family Raising a Little Girl Born in the Wrong Body” begins here.