I dont think it's necessarily 'lashing out' just to get attention.

Children at a very young age are very impressionable. You tell them that Superman exist, and if nobody tells them otherwise, in the back of their minds, they believe that he does exist.

And for transgenders (I think it's the right term), their probably confused. Since changing sex is relatively still quite a taboo even in western countries.

Most homosexual celebrities were married at one point, take Elton John for instance. But changing sex is another thing, I don't forsee Elton John having a sex change because he likes guys.