Identity: Gender Transition

An Australian schoolboy who transitioned to be a girl at age 12 has changed his mind two years after starting the procedure.

Doctors diagnosed Patrick Mitchell as suffering from gender dysphoria, which is where an individual experiences a clash between how they identify with their gender and their biological sex.

Once Patrick began gender transition, he grew his hair long and took oestrogen hormones which led him to develop breasts. It was when teachers began to refer to him as a girl that Patrick began to question his new gender identity, and he realised that he still identified as being a boy. 

This could be a useful case study into what constitutes gender identity and the possible fluidity of the concept.

• References: 12-year old boy who transitioned to female changes his mind two years later