It wasn’t until the past few years that I knew what gender-neutral language was. When I was younger, everything was split and labeled by the gender binary. We either had a mailman or a mail-lady, not a postal person. People had a boyfriend or a girlfriend, not a partner. I was in the military for… Continue reading Using Gender-Neutral Language
There was so much I didn’t know the day I learned my son was transgender. In addition to not understanding what the word transgender meant, I didn’t know what it meant for my son. Because I learned Leo is transgender from a social media post, I had a lot of time to overthink what that… Continue reading Your Transgender Child is Not a Different Person
Guest post by Leo Richardson It is my pleasure to introduce you to people whose lived experiences will help you better understand what it is like to be transgender. Each year on March 31, we observe International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV). The purpose is to celebrate transgender, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming people worldwide. Founded in 2009, the… Continue reading Guest Post: Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV).
The Conscious Parent’s Guide to Gender Identity by Darlene Tando, LCSW is a must-read book for parents of transgender and gender-fluid children. This all-encompassing book walks you through how to support your child, yourself, and your family. Allowing yourself to let your child show you exactly who they are in regard to gender is the… Continue reading Book Review: The Conscious Parent’s Guide to Gender Identity by Darlene Tando
Do you know what it means to parent your transgender child? When my son came out as transgender, the first thing I had to learn was what the word transgender meant. I didn’t know there was a difference between gender and sexuality and how one was about who you are and the other you love.… Continue reading Learn What it Means to Parent Your Transgender Child
When my son Leo came out as transgender, I was blindsided by his news. Because I didn’t know that he had been hiding his true gender since middle school, I felt it came out of nowhere. I went to bed thinking I had a daughter, and the next day I woke up and had a… Continue reading Let Go Of the Guilt
Five months after my son came out as transgender, my grandfather died. In a year where I was trying to figure out which way was up, suddenly my world went dark. I was already thick in the midst of grief. At the time, I thought it was because I had lost my daughter. I would… Continue reading The Only Way Through Grief is to Move Forward
I remember the day my therapist told me the feeling I was experiencing was grief. It was a few months after Leo came out, and I was staring out her office window watching it snow. The compassion on her face made me cry in those early days, so I would take a break from looking… Continue reading Your Grief Is Not About Your Child Being Transgender
We’ve talked about how vital your support network is after your child comes out as transgender. You need friends and family who can support you so you can support your child. But your friends and family can only help you so much. When my son Leo came out as transgender, it was over the weekend.… Continue reading Your Support Network Should Include a Therapist
In the days after my son Leo came out as transgender, I wasn’t sure who I could talk to about how I was feeling. Part of it was because I didn’t know if my feelings were okay. The other part was more complicated. I didn’t want anyone to misinterpret my emotions as a lack of… Continue reading Who Can You Talk To About Your Child?
