What an insightful, sensitive piece by Clifford Longley regarding gender (“Human sexuality remains a mystery, with many surprises still to come”, 8 April).

My parents’ neighbours have three children, one of whom, born a boy, self-identifies as a girl. She has always done this, indeed on her third birthday, she was deeply distressed at being made to have a Thomas Tank birthday cake instead of the Barbie Doll cake she wanted. It was painful for many of us to witness her deep and genuine distress when as a toddler, she was dressed in boys’ clothes. Even though she had two brothers, this precious child knew she wasn’t a boy.

Mercifully, her family heard her distress and, along with a very supportive school, she now lives as a girl. As yet, she hasn’t attained puberty with all those challenges but I’m sure they will negotiate whatever comes their way with dignity and love.