Trends Forecasting Research Document TRENDS FINAL HAND IN FINISH | Seite 8

Rise in Transgender
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Lydia Holland Trend Forecasting Research Document
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In the 50’s and 60’s gay men were punished for being themselves. Behavioural therapy was
used to “cure” gay men of being gay. Men who were convicted of their sexuality were given such
punishments like electric shock treatment, brainwashing and hallucinogenic drugs (Wheeler,
2003) . In 1967 this was changed in which two men over the age of 21 were allowed to have
sexual relations in private, though it was not decimalised in Scotland until 1980 and Northern
Ireland in 1982 (Anonymous, n.d) .

Since this much has changed and happened, such as gay pride. This year at London’s gay
pride it was estimated that around one million people participated (Bullen, 2016) . Over 60 other
gay pride events around the country have taken place this year in cities such as Brighton, Glasgow
and Dublin. Same-sex marriage has now been legalised in the UK since 2014, letting happy
couples have the equality they most rightly deserve. (Anonymous, 2014) Sadly it is still illegal to
be gay in 74 countries around the world (Fenton, 2016). Hopefully this can drive people to unite
and make a stand to be able to be themselves.

Transgender has recently been given more attention in the media, especially with
celebrities such as Caitlyn Jenner. In 2015/16 1,419 children were referred to Britain’s gender
identity service for children. It has been said that the rise in children confused with their gender
and their identity is probably due to the result of greater awareness of the gender spectrum,
through the Internet and other medias. (Taylor, 2016) In Australia, August 2016, the youngest
gender change started to take place. A four-year-old child who identifies as transgender had begun
their transition before their first day of nursery. At Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital 250
children have made appointments with the gender dysmorphia unit, with some patients as young
as three years old. (Beers, 2016; Taylor, 2016)
This demonstrates how accepting society is beginning to be in the freedom and appearance of
men and women. It shows how men and women are allowed to creatively express themselves and
feeling confident and proud within themselves.