For as long as Dorian Gibson, age 21, can remember, they didn’t feel particularly male or female. Eventually, Dorian, who uses they/them pronouns, found the term that best describes them: gender fluid. “I’m very gender fluid,” Dorian said. “Sometimes, I feel feminine. Sometimes, I feel masculine. Sometimes, I feel neither female nor male.” Dorian is […]
How to talk to kids about gender identity and sexual orientation
As we honor Pride Month, various LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning) events and celebrations may get splashed across your child’s media screens, sparking difficult questions and conversations around the dinner table. So what better time than now to have these important conversations to expand your child’s understanding — and your own. “I’m a big […]
Akron Children’s helps transgender Ryace Boyer be her true self
Ryace Boyer is a 13-year-old from a small farming town outside Marietta, Ohio. Last fall, she took a huge step toward continuing her life as a transgender person, when she connected with the Center for Gender-Affirming Medicine at Akron Children’s Hospital. From an early age, it was clear to her parents that Ryace’s gender identity […]
Dr. James Fitzgibbon wins 2020 Distinguished Service Award on eve of his retirement
Dr. James Fitzgibbon, adolescent medicine specialist, originally wanted to be a chemist like his father, but it was his conversations with and mutual respect for teens that led him into adolescent medicine. As the oldest of 13 children, including a set of triplets and twins, Dr. Fitz, as he’s known at Akron Children’s, related […]
Transgender teen in Akron Children’s program hopes her story helps others
Florence Montecalvo came to terms with her gender identity after she was diagnosed with bone cancer in 7th grade. She underwent 18 rounds of chemotherapy and had 3 ribs removed. She identified as a gay man at that time, and after cancer came to realize she was not comfortable being a male. “The cancer for […]
New clinic is a lifeline for transgender patients
Dr. Crystal Cole sees patients in the Teen Clinic in Adolescent Medicine for a variety of services but in recent years developed a rapport with many teens who are questioning their sexuality. Now, Dr. Cole is director of the hospital’s new Center for Gender Affirming Medicine, which officially opened in June. “We’ve always treated youths who […]
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