25 Kids and the Law 4. Increased messiness and disorganization. Teens who used to be so neat and well- organized may start to keep their rooms in a state of chaos. They may begin to dress in old or odd clothes. This may seem very disrespectful to the parents, even if this is not the teen’s intention. 5. Increased risk taking and novelty seeking. Scientific understanding shows that the teenage brain is predisposed to seek rewards and novelty. This of- ten leads to risk-taking behavior and the search for new experiences. Gender and sexuality are part of a teen’s identity. Some teens explore and ex- periment more than others. Some teens identify as transgender and want to explore how they can pursue medical changes. Laws affecting lesbian, gay, bi- sexual and transgender people vary from state to state. A Massachusetts law passed in 2016 prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity in pub- lic places such as schools. For more information on gender identity, expres- sion, biological sex, and attraction see The Genderbread Person. These changes are within the range of normal teenage behavior, though they can create stress on parents or guardians and on adult-teen relationships. Ad- olescents have different temperaments and have different ways of coping with problems in their lives. The following chapters describe ways in which teenagers might show that they are having difficulties and ways that the court responds. Changes in Adolescence 3