Raising a Trans Child | POF123

It’s hard enough to raise a child in this complicated and confusing world but what do you do if your child is struggling with their sexual or gender identity?  

In this episode we are talking about those kids who are struggling with their gender identity.  Not only do you have to help your child navigate a new normal for themselves, you also have to learn a new language.  New pronouns like they/them and terms like gender non-conforming, non-binary and/or gender-queer (I’ve put the definitions below from gladd.org). 

How do you support and affirm your child?  How do you get your head around your child’s gender identity if you don’t agree or if it goes against your beliefs?  There are so many complicated issues that come up and you will need support! 

Enter my guests, JR and Vanessa Ford who are parents to two kids, one of whom identifies as non-binary.  In fact, their child, Ellie, who was born as a boy, was so insistent, persistent, and consistent in telling their parents that they weren’t a boy, they had to sit up and pay attention.  

Vanessa and JR are sharing their journey with Ellie to help educate people on the LGBTQ+  community and also to advocate for more rights for Transgender youth. In this episode, we talk about: 

What does it mean to be Transgender?

How do you know if this is just a phase for your child?

Consistent, insistent and persistent...

What the journey of a Trans person can be like ...it’s an evolution

How popular culture is portraying more Transgender people

Gender non-conforming

A term used to describe some people whose gender expression is different from conventional expectations of masculinity and femininity. Please note that not all gender non-conforming people identify as transgender; nor are all transgender people gender non-conforming. Many people have gender expressions that are not entirely conventional – that fact alone does not make them transgender. Many transgender men and women have gender expressions that are conventionally masculine or feminine. Simply being transgender does not make someone gender non-conforming. The term is not a synonym for transgender or transsexual and should only be used if someone self-identifies as gender non-conforming.

Non-binary and/or genderqueer

Terms used by some people who experience their gender identity and/or gender expression as falling outside the categories of man and woman. They may define their gender as falling somewhere in between man and woman, or they may define it as wholly different from these terms. The term is not a synonym for transgender or transsexual and should only be used if someone self-identifies as non-binary and/or genderqueer. 

for a guide of <<<< you can go to the parent toolbox www.parent-toolbox.com 

About Vanessa and JR Ford

JR and Vanessa Ford are nationally-known advocates for LGBTQ+ rights, specifically, rights for transgender youth. Their advocacy and work have been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, and in "Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric." They were both founding members of the Human Rights Campaign's Parents for Transgender Equality Council. They live with their two children, one of whom is trans, in the Boston, MA area.

Contact information:

Email: kkneafsey@penguinrandomhouse.com

 jrandvanessaford@gmail.com

Social Media:

Website: https://www.jrandvanessaford.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFordFamily/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vanessaforddc

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With this podcast, my intention is to build a community of parents that can have open and honest conversations about parenting without judgement or criticism. We have too much of that! I honor each parent and their path towards becoming the best parent they can be. My hope is to inspire more parents to consider the practice of Peaceful Parenting. If you know somebody who would benefit from this message, or would be an awesome addition to our community, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a note in the comment section below!

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