Gender diversity is not just an issue for adults but for all ages including children. Gender identity is not a lifestyle choice, but an inherent right of all people.
Gender stereotypes especially towards LGBTIQ lead to stigma and discrimination. This is more pronounced in children and adolescents as diversity among them is not commonly understood and society puts massive pressure on them to conform to assigned gender norms at birth. This leads to children running away from home, dropping out of school, having mental illness and being exposed to violence (including sexual violence) and denial of basic human rights and security.
Table of contents
The Mirror
Watch the film aimed to break the taboo of gender diversity among children
Unbox me
‘Unbox Me’ recreates childhood boxes of transgender adults. Each box reveals a personal story with the hidden treasures coming out in the open.
Read the press release
Watch the "Unbox me" video
Testimonials
UNAIDS invited transgender people to reflect upon their childhood and to give advice to parents.
Social media materials
Access the social media materials
The Mirror
Last year UNAIDS unveiled the film ‘The Mirror’ around the theme #SeeMeAsIAm. The film aimed to break the taboo of gender diversity among children and to start a conversation within society and families about the rights of children who express their gender identity. Children deserve an equal opportunity to grow up in a safe and loving environment as any child is entitled to.
The films asks people to see children as they see themselves—promoting inclusion and acceptance of young LGBTI children. It calls on adults to unreservedly embrace diversity and provide an environment where children can flourish.
Critics have called 'The Mirror’ a pathbreaker in societal conversations about diversity.
In India, more than 90% of transgender people leave their homes or are thrown out by the age of 15 years. Inevitably, many live on the street with no money or education, often relying on sex work. Despite the campaign originating from India, its theme of acceptance and inclusion is universal.
Transgender people around the world are often marginalized and experience discrimination and violence. As a result, transgender people have a 34 times greater risk of acquiring HIV than other adults. Up to 24 countries in the world criminalize or prosecute transgender people. For example, early in the COVID-19 response, some governments instituted gender-specific mobility days during lockdowns, which resulted in arrests against transgender people out on the “wrong” day.
Stigma, discrimination and criminalization tend to make transgender and gender-diverse people invisible, with extreme forms of discrimination leading to even the denial of the existence of gender-diverse people.
UNBOX
In the lead-up to the International Transgender Day of Visibility, on 31 March, UNAIDS has launched an initiative to raise awareness among parents, teachers and the wider community about gender identity during childhood.
The Unbox Me campaign advocates for the rights of transgender children. Most children love to have boxes or hidden places in which they can hide precious trinkets or prized possessions safely and securely. The hidden objects can reveal a lot about the child—who he or she is, what he or she likes and what his or her dreams are. For some transgender children, this act of hiding treasures in a box becomes a way of hiding their identity from disapproving eyes. Unbox Me is about giving transgender children visibility. It is a call for inclusion and acceptance.
Many people take their gender identity for granted. But for many children in every part of the world, it is matter of daily survival, a daily struggle of who they are, what they want to be and to confront the labels society has given them.
Children all over the world must be supported in expressing their identity freely. In India there has been progress on transgender rights. The Unbox me campaign is about giving transgender children visibility. It is a call for inclusion. A call for acceptance of their identity. For many children this call is not heard by their parents, their brothers and sisters, their friends. But when these voices are heard and supported, they thrive. And when they are not heard, they are forced to hide, to run away from homes, to drop out of schools.
We must not let this happen. We must recognize diversity among children and protect them. Every child has rights. Transchildren are no exception.
Testimonials
Following the success of the short film "The Mirror", UNAIDS invited transgender people to reflect upon their childhood and to give advice to parents.
In the videos, some described being bullied in school, others felt misunderstood by their parents while others found solace in opening up to their families and finding comfort in expressing their true selves. But all stressed the importance of inclusion and acceptance of young LGBTI children.
UNAIDS works closely with the transgender community, civil society organizations and governments all around the world to decriminalize transgender people, secure their rights and ensure that they have access to health, education and social protection and that they are protected from abuse and exploitation.
