March 31st is International Transgender Day of Visibility, a day for celebrating trans pride and highlighting the discrimination that transgender individuals face. As the parent of a transgender child, this is going to be a big day in our house. My child is six (before you ask, yes, he knows, and we know, and his pediatrician and therapist concur, that he is trans. I encourage you to watch this documentary for more information about transgender children.)
My child didn’t, of course, know the word “trans” for himself at first.
He simply reiterated over and over, “I’m a boy.” One day my elder children and I were talking about trans issues, and he asked. My daughter explained it in the simplest way she possibly could: “a transgender person is someone born in a body biologically different from their brain. Like maybe they were born with a vagina, but know they’re a boy.”
He got it. “That’s me!” he exclaimed, excited to have a word for what he’d been trying to say for two years. From that point on, whenever he heard the word trans he would say, “trans like I’m trans.”
On the International Transgender Day of Visibility, we celebrate the courage it takes for transgender people from all walks of life to live authentically and fully as themselves, while bringing attention to the discrimination that trans people face.
For my youngest, we plan to decorate the house in trans colors and wear trans pride shirts. In a two year period where trans soldiers are being targeted, lgbt issues are being erased, and these are increasingly dangerous times in other countries for LGBT individuals, we want to make sure we focus on the few positives.
“That’s me!” he exclaimed, excited to have a word for what he’d been trying to say for two years.
My spouse, as a genderqueer individual, also falls under the transgender umbrella.
Now out at work, and President of their company’s Pride Committee, they take their work as an advocate for trans rights seriously. One of the biggest reasons they came out to first my children and then at work, was to provide visibility within our family and within their company. Sometimes it only takes one person to come forward and show themselves for others to feel comfortable, and my spouse felt it was time for them to step up and be that person (at work, that is. The children were already out at home.)
Since joining the Pride Committee they have participated in a trans-centric job fair (specifically showcasing the trans-friendly atmosphere of their workplace), networked at LGBT health fundraisers, and brainstormed with other members of the their Pride group to try to make it easier for LGBT folks who aren’t “out” to participate if they want to.
While the day brings attention to the discrimination that trans folks face, it also allows companies to highlight how out transgender employees thrive in an inclusive atmosphere.
Studies show that with support and acceptance, transgender individuals are less likely to experience depression or anxiety. Since transgender individuals who are not supported have a higher rate of homelessness and suicide, it’s imperative that we acknowledge and support them, and important that we continue to allow them to be visible.
Here are some amazing transgender youth who are helping change the world.
Here are some awesome Dads supporting their trans youth.
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We celebrate Gay Pride all year long. But this year, we’re doing some special programing for a large-scale campaign #LoveEqually. We’re looking for both sponsors and contributors. Check it out! https://t.co/tkraXFPxLL pic.twitter.com/X2FlBEZb8Y
— The Good Men Project (@GoodMenProject) March 11, 2019
Image credit: nito on Shutterstock