51 Perceptions of sex, gender, and puberty suppression: a qualitative analysis of transgender minors 3 Furthermore several adolescents stated that television shows and other programs have led to more acceptance in their social environment. Yet, some adolescents and professionals raised doubts about the increasing media-attention. Some adolescents mentioned that most transgender individuals in the media are people who are functioning quite well despite their gender dysphoric feelings. They believe however that this is not a representative picture of transgender individuals. For instance, the transgender individuals who also suffer from autism spectrum disorder or depression are not shown. Furthermore, some adolescents thought that the media show a rather stereotypical picture of transgender individuals; as if all transboys were tomboys from a very early age, did not like dolls and pink, but preferred playing with cars and playing soccer. They stated that not all transgender individuals are that ‘stereotypical’; and that some transboys were even ‘girlish’ when they were younger and preferred pink over blue. They wondered “why are not these transgender individuals in these television programs and in articles?,” as illustrated by the following two quotes: “Most of the transmen I have seen in the media…when they were younger, they always were stereotypical tomboys. I was personally quite stereotypically feminine; I liked drawing dresses with my mom, and still do. That made me feel alienated by the media.” - Interview with a transboy; age: 18;5 “Television shows are never about girls that alternate between living like a girl and living like a boy. Such topics never appear. It seems such topics are simply not spectacular enough.” - Interview with a transboy; age: 17;7 A binary concept of sex and gender Since July 2014 sterilization is no longer a requirement for transgender individuals in order to be able to change their gender on their birth certificate and on other official documents in the Netherlands (art. 1:28 subsection 1 DCC Jo art. 1:20 subsection 1 DCC). During the interviews most transboys stated that they thought that they would not choose to have their ovaries/uterus removed because “it is not necessary anymore.” Before this change in law, many transboys had their ovaries/uterus removed. A statement such as this one was typical among transboys: “I do not care about hysterectomy because changing gender on official documents is nowadays possible without this surgical procedure.” - Interview with a transboy; age: 18;3 The ability to change their gender on their official documents may be seen as imposing a binary phenotype on transgender individuals. Nevertheless, most adolescents thought that the concept gender is a continuum instead of a binary system, as this adolescent expressed:
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