It’s no secret that I love women. Well maybe to a select few people I’ve yet to come out to – but by now if they’ve read my blogs – the cat’s out the bag! =)
And it’s no secret that I’m a huge supporter of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Gender Non-conforming Community as well. I attend as many events around the community’s most important issues that are pivotal to my life and my future. I’ve been pretty lucky to even work in LGBTGNC-friendly organizations that have done great grassroots work and to date – it’s been some of the best jobs I’ve ever had.
What I love the most though is that our community is always improving and always growing and changing. I’m always looking for ways to be involved in whatever ways possible because when I’m not – I kind of feel out of the loop with life.
I’m digressing. It seems like I’ve been reading about TONS of trans parenting (particularly on Huffington Post). I’m super excited about this and I’m not sure why exactly. Maybe it’s because I know so many parents who have phobias about gender and don’t raise their children in a gender-neutralized setting, constricting them to what’s right and what’s wrong. Many parents I know almost never give their children an option of choosing between Barbies or toy trucks, rather they go for the toy that relates to the kid’s gender (ie: boy gets the truck, girl gets the Barbie).
However, it seems like more and more stories are being told about young children coming out as gay or trans and their parents are telling their stories and writing about their journeys.
One woman effortlessly told the story here about how her seven year old son came out to her as gay while she was on the phone. It sounds kind of like my Coming Out story to my mother. I came out to her over dinner one night when she questioned me about my online profile having been colored in rainbows. She had a clue, and she was right.
Another woman wrote about the journey of her trans nanny (female to male) and its effect on her and her two small growing girls. Though she wasn’t parenting trans children, the insight on this article is so poignant and gives a non-judgmental view of the trans community as a whole.
Even here, we really see the full view of trans parenting where one woman captures the essence of what it is to be a parent and raising a trans child. She blogs often about her journey and every day life and discoveries she and her trans (male to female) ten year old child are making in this new path. It’s breathtaking to read some of the things she writes and knowing that there are parents who are taking a non-judgmental approach at raising their children in such a gender-neutral and non-conforming way is so heartwarming.
I can imagine wanting to put little girls in cute pink clothes and dresses is difficult as it is and vice versa for little handsome boys. But as children grow up I really believe that gender becomes more and more important and how we express ourselves. As long as we can hold true to our own values and beliefs I think that kids will discover who they are on their own. It’s just our duty to support them no matter how they decide to identify wether it’s boy, girl, martian, Frankenstein, Cinderella or some character they pulled from the sky. I think all any kid ever wants and needs is support.
In My Own Words.. 