Ryland Whittington asked, “Why did God make me like this?” His parents’ answer will break open your heart.
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The story you are about to see will surprise you. It left me weeping tears of joy. It will no doubt disgust some, and if you are intolerant, unaccepting, afraid of difference, and rigid in your beliefs about sexuality, gender, and parenting, don’t bother watching. This story isn’t for you. This is a story of complete, unconditional love. A story of heartbreak transformed into redemption. A story of disappointment transmogrified into joy. It is the story of a family that rose to a challenge, rose above it, and raised the bar for modern parenting. An ordinary family that became an extraordinary family that reminds us what family is all about. And it is the story of a remarkable young man. Introducing Ryland Whittington.
Photo—TheWhittingtonFamily/YouTube
I am a married, heterosexual woman, and I’m very much a follower of Christ. I also believe wholeheartedly that there are people who are born in bodies that do not match the identity with which they identify. This is an issue and has been an issue whether people want to acknowledge it or not. If a person can be born with a hole in his or her heart, a limb missing or a disease, why does being transgender seem like such an impossibility? To those of you who want to say this is disgusting or unnatural…surely you know someone, or… Read more »
Within a couple of decades from now, the results of these socially traumatizing, physically devastating somatic image disorders and sexual fetishes of transgenderists will take a deadly toll. Sensible, humane people will be horrified that such practices were ever allowed to occur. Doctors violating their Hippocratic Oath by mutilating healthy bodies, practicing genital mutilation and pumping up supplicants with physiological incompatible hormones will be reaping a harvest of cancers, immune system diseases, neurological damage and a host of other ills. Such doctors may be jailed or lose their licenses due to malpractice and the many injuries that they will incur… Read more »
I love how accepting the parents are. I think that’s a huge step up from a lot of other parents in this situation. However, I can’t help but feel a little uncomfortable about how they must be so public about it. It feels as though they are exploiting their son a little bit. What about when he gets older? He should be able to have the option of whether or not he wants to “come out” as transgender, or else simply “pass” as male. Instead, this choice is being taken out of his hands, and he will never be able… Read more »
I really doubt the child, at 4, cursed at the heavens and asked God why he made her so.
Honestly, mentally kids are a cocktail of drama and issues. However it all comes down to one thing: does she have a vagina or a penis? Of the former, then it’s a girl. She’s attracted to boys? Okay, she’s a lesbian. But to give a 5 year old such reign over what they do is slightly troublesome. Call me old fashioned, but I do think parents should be dictating what the kid does or doesn’t do, not the other way around.
A truly beautiful and amazing story. I’m a mom of 4. I would like to think I would have done the exact same thing. I’m a child therapist and I completely believe that we know who we really are. And we have to believe that God will give us the people who really love us to make our lives wonderful. I love this story. If I can help in anyway, please contact me via my email. To Ryland’s parents-you are absolutely amazing. I will forever keep your family in my prayers. Please reach out if I can help. I am… Read more »
No need to thank me for sharing your story with me. I was privileged and blessed to see it. Best wishes.
Hummmm – what exactly do you think is going on that no one ‘gets’?
It is too bad none of you truly understand what is really going on… none of you….
What do you mean? What is our that no one’gets?’
Thanks for posting Thomas. I am a (much) older trans guy, and this video has been circulated among trans circles. Someone asked what happens at puberty. There are two possibilities. Many times kids are fluid in their gender identity and will go back to their originality gender. In other cases, they can put the child on hormone blockers which will temporarily block puberty. This treatment is completely reversible and will allow the child to have time to process what they want to do. These treatments can be life saving as you can imagine what it might be for a someone… Read more »
Ryland your parents are amazing people. They should be held up as the standard not the exception.
You will have hard times in your life but with your Mom and Dad by your side it won’t be as hard.
Good Luck to you lil man, may you grow up as awesome as your parents
His parents are amazing and he is beautiful! That is a hard conclusion for a little one to come to, but he came to it all on his own because of what was intrinsically and inexorably inside of him. His parents understood!! They didn’t fight it like most parents tend to; they accepted their son as he came even though he was biologically female. They met him on his terms and loved him for all of who he is.
I think this is awesome and I have a question. This is not out of hate or any of that other non-sense but out of pure curiosity; what happens when he hits puberty and his body betrays his soul and becomes a fully formed woman’s body? How will he and his amazing parents handle that? These parents seem to be awesome and inspiring.
There is the distinct possibility that Ryland will identify as a female. I completely identify with this story. Up until puberty, I wanted to be a boy. I wanted to dress like a boy, do the stuff boys did, and most importantly, have the privilege that I perceived as being distinctly male. I used to wonder why I was so unfortunate as to be born female, too. But that all changed once biology took over. I am happily female! I think that it’s a bit premature to assert that any person is one thing or another by a certain age,… Read more »
On that thought, I have always wondered why more intelligent observant little kids don’t choose the gender/class/cast that offers the most freedom and fun if they perceive they are given a choice. I assume its often perhaps that most don’t get or sense they have a choice. But seriously “boy” in a lot of cultures is the dominant privlaged choice.
Hey there, Whether gender is fluid or not is a question that I will leave for others – my personal experience is that when one has gender dysphoria one has gender dysphoria, which isn’t the same as liking what boys like and doing what boys do or even wishing one were a boy, but the intensity of feelings may change. However Ryland may be able to go on hormone blockers before puberty that will delay his puberty onset without harmful side effects until he is more able to explore the different transition options (not everyone has surgery), should he still… Read more »
As a me mental health professional, I am so encouraged to see such supportive parents. Now this kid will be able to focus on what is really important in life.
This is one of the most inspiring stories I’ve learned of in a long time…people like these parents are what make me the most proud as a human being…true acceptance and love should be all of our baselines…how easy it would be to have the human experience to reach true brilliance if all of us followed this family’s lead in our lives?
wow… just wow (speechless) and wiping away happy tears <3
Oh my face hurts from smiling. That was so beautiful ! Loving parents… so true at 5 when your children speak to you they truly speak the truth so important to listen and to act quickly as their time is in the now!
You Fiffers give me hope for humanity, the future, our children and little-boy-smiles.
If you (generally) love your children, this little footnote of life is nothing…unless you don’t absolutely L O V E smiles from a great child.
And BTW: I’m Christian and its not my job (nor any other Christian’s job) to judge. Nowhere in the bible are we commanded to judge, pass judgement and/or offend anyone.
I would have given my limbs for parents like you Mr Fiffer. My life would be entirely different now. I would be honored if you gave Ryland a hug for me.
Rob, Thanks so much for your heartfelt comments. Just for the record, I wrote the intro and shared the video here, and Ryland’s family is the Whittingtons. I, too, would be honored to give Ryland a hug, and to let him know you have one for him, too.
Kudos to this amazing but yet, really just so loving – family! I’m so proud of all of you! I have only just recently In my 42yrs, become aware of different genders/sexes among children and the sad, traumatic, and very scary lives they have to live when adults do not listen to them. This story has inspired me to be open to all and I am even inspired to learn more about ways to educate myself and others in some way. A more, loving, proactive approach seems needed, while young children are in school or even preschool, so that these… Read more »
The statement from the parents that “relevant to the horrific things that people have to endure with their children all around the world…this is nothing.” So true!! God bless these parents to love their child unconditionally and allow the child to grow up in a loving and caring family, instead of the horrific staggering statistic of children who are LBTGT committing suicide. His smile is worth more than anyone’s beliefs, money or approval.
Renn, just so you know, Ryland could fully transition to a boy, and still be attracted to men – that’s up to his personal preference.
What a beautiful story. I am so proud of those parents for accepting their child and loving him unconditionally. Thanks so much for sharing.
Why would you assume that because I hold Christian values that I wouldn’t want to hear about this story? My only comment would be to say that it might be premature to assign Ryland the opposite sex since it’s not clear which gender she is sexually attracted to (since she’s so young). Does making this common-sense statement make me a hateful, or narrow-minded person?
Hey there Renn, The author didn’t assume you might not want to see this as a Christian, he just mentions you might not want to watch if you were intolerant, which you’re obviously not. I would point out though that gender is unrelated to sexual attraction and trans people may be straight, gay or bi when in their preferred gender. You should also use the pronouns of the gender the person is transitioning to – he in this case, not she. Becoming aware that one feels as though is any gender (whether the one you were assigned at birth like… Read more »
Yes!
I am very open minded and feel as everyone has the right to choose who they should be/love/marry. And I think these parents love their child very much. But I’m not sure if I agree with this. I was Ryland. From a very early age I said I wanted to he a boy, I hated every ‘girlie’, I was a ninja turtle/batman/ Pirate for Halloween, I begged and cried until my parents allowed me to cut my hair off, I shopped only in the boys department, I even told my mother when I got boobs I would cut them off.… Read more »
Well put. On that thought I love the families loving acceptance but she is a girl. It makes the kid happy to be called he that’s cool but the reality is she is a she. That doesn’t have to mean anything but basically one has female stuff. Be proud to be all she is and learn to stand up for who she is on the inside societies norms be damned while excepting her physical reality and transending its limitations, not pretending its not there. Props to her family for letting her be who she wants to be and not limit… Read more »
Grest point. God bless u
Renn, your comments do not make you hateful or narrow-minded. Too many times people are so willing to lash out towards people who ask questions. Only a few people have the expertise to speak on the matter. Social Science has shown that identity in general is formed by age 3 for most of the population. Typically that means our views, likes and dislikes, etc are set at an early age. This includes gender identity. Sure we can label and categorize but it is obvious that this child has made the decision to live life as a boy. Sexual attraction typically… Read more »
Not at all.
Tho gender and sexual orientation are not necessarly connected jan the way you may understand it.
Hello there Renn. I used to wonder this too, until I met someone who is transgender. I have a friend who was born a man, married a woman, and became a woman later – being totally in love with the wife the whole time. She said to me once, “Having the need to live life as a woman doesn’t mean that I will suddenly be attracted to men. I’ve never been attracted to men and most likely never will be. When I married my wife we said we would be together for the rest of our lives ane meant it.”… Read more »
It’s “he” not “she”.
Gender and sexuality are not the same thing.
Gender is how this child relates to world and how HE sees himself.
Sexuality is who HE is attracted to and my guess is that HE will make that decision when HE knows.
Sexual attraction and sexual identity are two very different things. If you identify as a male, it doesnt mean you will be attracted to a female…or if you were born male, identify as female but are still attracted to females…They are all seperate parts of the prsonality and psychology..
She? Ryan is clearly HE!
Yes it does. Who cares what gender he becomes sexually attracted to? he may be attracted to males and yet still feel like a male himself. There’s no law that says you must be the opposite gender to the gender that attracts you. Ignorant!
I doesn’t matter which sex “he is attracted to” at all. If he grows up attracted to men, then he is gay. Gender and sexuality have nothing to do with each other.
Whys it matter what gender Ryland is attracted to? That has.nothing to do with gender. Sexuality and gender are two very different things. I’m transgender myself. I just wish my family was as supportive.
Renn,
Why does it matter which sex HE is attracted to? Gender and sexual orientation are two very DIFFERENT things.. and why are you calling Ryland female pronouns? I myself am a.32 year old transman… female to male… I only wish my family was as supportive as Rylands are.
The kid should be allowed and encouraged to be who they are, but not assigned a gender . I agree it would be premature to assume the kids sexual preference. Gender roles are just social constructs.
Gender identity and sexual orientation are two different things. You can be a trans woman and still be a lesbian or a trans man and still be attracted to men. Gender identity has to do with your own body. Sexual orientation/attraction has to do with what you find attractive in another person.