Exploration by drawings of a family does not distinguish children born of a transgender father

Background: For several years in France, children whose father is transgender (born female) are conceived through Medically assisted procreation (MAP). The development of these children is poorly known. Many interrogations have contributed to a controversy regarding this type of parenthood, including the very identity of the family constitution. Methods: In order to assess whether there were noticeable differences in the gender identity representations for these children, we invited 47 children (74.5% of boys) aged between 3 and 14 years old to make a “drawing of a family” (Corman, 1964). 24 children whose father is transgender were compared to 23 children born of cisgender parents, conceived by sexual intercourse. The research was approved by the University of Paris V ethics committee. Results: The blind analyses of the different drawings did not allow us to distinguish any qualitative difference or particularity that would indicate in which group the child belongs. After the lifting of the blind, we were able to carry out a descriptive analysis of the drawings and observe that the gender markers in the drawings did evolve, in part and as expected, according to the age of the children but are not related to an effect of the home group. We have also been able to appreciate as expected from the previous researches that used the family drawing of the differences through certain qualitative elements related to the family representation, and this, in both groups. Conclusion: The children born with MAP from a cisgender mother and a transgender father projects internal states in the “drawing of a family” in all points close to those of children of the same age and of the same sex but born of cisgender parents and conceived by sexual intercourse. It would be relevant to reevaluate the cohort of the youngest children at the time of their adolescence when the sexual identity is reshaped by puberty.