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Transgender Parent Guide
Most parents struggle when their child discloses a different gender identity. Even parents who have close LGBTQ acquaintances or family members may find it difficult when it’s their own child. This is a powerful change in the family picture.
But there is also Good News: Staying connected, building communication, and working through change as a family can result in deeper relationships and better health for your child. While the challenges can be hard, many parents find they develop deeper, more honest, and more genuine relationships with their children as they work together through the changes they face.
Here are a few helpful pages we recommend:
Risks for Your Child might seem frightening, but more frightening is not knowing these risks or that your actions can reduce these risks.
The Journey for Parents recaps the experience most parents and families go through. It can help to know these stages, and that understanding and coping are a process.
The Stages of Coming Out traces the path often experienced by transgender children. While experiences differ, understanding the general steps your child has gone through may help you understand your child better.
Myths That Stigmatize Transgender People addresses common misconceptions that often increase the concern of parents as their child comes out.
Understanding Transitioning describes the wide variety of ways transgender people transition. It is not “one size fits all” and the personal paths and expressions individuals choose can vary widely.
Terms to Understand is a partial list of common terms. It can be helpful to be familiar with the terms your child may use.
There is so much here to help you help your child and keep your family connected and strong. Please keep reading.
You can also get this web-based Parenting Transgender Children guide in PDF format via email. Click here.
“How could I not have known? I’ve come to learn and accept it was because she didn’t fully know or understand it, let alone have the language to speak it out loud.” - Father of a transgender daughter. “Know that for every shred of despair, fear, anxiety, sense of failure you feel, it pales in comparison to what your child may have been going through”.
~
Anonymous